Asmara

Asmara is the capital of Eritrea, located on the northern Ethiopian Plateau at an altitude of 2325 meters (7630 feet). The city follows a regular street grid with palm-lined boulevards flanked by low-rise residential buildings and public structures from the 1930s.

Four separate villages merged in 1897 to become the capital of Italian Eritrea, triggering intensive building activity. Most modernist structures went up during the 1930s, when Italian architects designed futurist cinemas, gas stations and government offices.

The name comes from the Tigrinya phrase "arbate asmera", meaning "they united them", referring to the four original villages. Today, cafés fill with locals gathering for coffee in the evenings, while people stroll along the tree-shaded avenues on wide sidewalks.

The mild highland climate brings comfortable temperatures throughout the year, though mornings and evenings can be cooler. Main streets are wide and flat, making walks through the center easy, while hills rise more noticeably only in the outer districts.

Bar Zilli continues to brew local beer using original Italian recipes from the 1930s. Many of the original machines and chrome details in the cafés still date from the first construction phase and remain in working order today.

Location: Maekel Region

Inception: 1897

Elevation above the sea: 2,325 m

GPS coordinates: 15.33897,38.93268

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:00