Asmara
Asmara, with its population of 600,000, became the capital city of Eritrea in 1897 following Italian occupation from 1889, although its origins can be traced back some 700 years. (Legend recalls that the Queen of Sheba gave birth to the son of Solomon, Menelik I, close to Asmara.) The Italians called it 'Little Rome' with the intention of it becoming the capital of a Second Roman Empire in Africa and in the 1930s they carried out significant changes to the city's structures and buildings to reflect that aspiration. However Italian defeat in 1941 during the Second World War by the British led to it becoming under British military control and the end of Italian colonisation and involvement.
The thirty year occupation of Eritrea by Ethiopia and its concurrent war, saw a deterioration of Asmara, although it remained undamaged by warfare as Ethiopian troops made a hasty retreat at the end of that war. Since independence in 1991, Eritrea has re-invested in its capital, creating new buildings and refurbishing others. It retains a southern Italian feel with palm lined streets, numerous shops, restaurants and cafes and has been described as one of the cleanest and safest African capital cities.
Check out Asmara in this video documentary then make a virtual landing at Asmara airport here or check out out interactive map of Asmara below and zoom in to explore features of interest.
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