Tank Graveyard of Asmara, Military vehicle collection in industrial region, Asmara, Eritrea.
The Tank Graveyard is a collection of hundreds of damaged and rusted military vehicles and civilian cars spread in rows across an open field near the city. The vehicles remain in varying conditions, from partially intact to heavily deteriorated metal frames and chassis.
This collection emerged directly from the 30-year independence war between Eritrea and Ethiopia that ended in 1991 with Eritrean victory. The gathered vehicles serve as physical evidence of the material destruction from that conflict and remain preserved as a testament to the period.
The site serves as a memorial space where locals connect with the independence struggle through daily encounters with the remnants of conflict. Children from neighboring areas gather fruit from cacti that have taken root among the metal hulks.
Access is free but requires a permit from the Ministry of Tourism and Information in Asmara and presenting your passport at the entrance. Wear comfortable shoes and allow time to walk among the rows, as the site is open and spread across a large area.
Many vehicles still display Soviet military insignias, showing the USSR's support for Ethiopian forces during the war. These marked machines tell a story about the international dimension of the conflict that visitors often miss.
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