AsmaraCapital
Eritrea · Country profile
Asmara is the extraordinary modernist capital of Eritrea, a graceful highland city of the nineteen-thirties whose unbroken streets of art deco cinemas, futurist filling stations and rationalist public palaces form one of the finest architectural ensembles in the world. Lying on the cool plateau of the country at more than two thousand metres, the city is the political, the cultural and the intellectual heart of the young republic, and its palm-lined boulevards and its marble cafés carry the easy, orderly rhythm of the Italian colonial inheritance. The coffee culture of the city, the milk-glass facades and the unhurried pace of its piazzas have earned it the nickname of the Rome of Africa. Protected by the world heritage listing, it stands as the proud, elegant symbol of the whole nation.
About Asmara
Asmara is the capital of Eritrea. The city's documented population is around 963,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Nakfa (ERN) and Tigrinya and Arabic are spoken; the dialling code is +291.
The Modernist Capital of the Art Deco of the Highlands
Asmara is a marvel of the walking city, where a complete art deco town plan survives on nearly every street and the espresso bars of the Italian era still run the daily ritual of the capital. The full day is best built on the grand cinemas of Independence Avenue, the futurist garage of the fire station, the opera house and the cathedral, with the markets and the workshops of the side streets for the local life. The city is clean, safe and remarkably ordered, and its altitude keeps the climate mild and the evenings cool. The modernist walking tour is the essential experience, and the surrounding viewpoints of the escarpment give the dramatic mountain frame of the plateau capital.
The Coffee Ritual, the Cinemas and the Mild Seasons of the Plateau
The high altitude gives the city mild, dry winters and a warm, wetter summer, with the very light rain of the months of the Belgian border of the seasons, and the cool evenings make the sweater useful all year. The nakfa is the currency, the Tigrinya the dominant language, with the Arabic, the Italian and some English in the official and the hotel circles. The modernist district, the museum and the markets make the core circuit, and the permit system of the country requires a registered guide for most travel outside the capital. The dress remains modest and the photography of the official buildings follows the strict local rules.
The Cathedral, the Opera House and the Piazze of the City
The complete ensemble of the architecture, led by the cinema Capitol and the cinema Impero, the Fiat Tagliero petrol station and the opera house, forms the celebrated World Heritage city of the modern age. The daily life of the capital runs on the ritual of the macchiato and the cappuccino at the marble counters of the piazzas, and the fruit and spice markets of the streets carry the colour of the highland trade. The cathedral, the mosque and the synagogue sit together in the tolerant heart of the town, and the viewpoints over the plateau and the falls and the monasteries of the escarpment complete the extraordinary highland world of the city of the coffee.
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- Country
- Eritrea
- Population
- 963,000
- Capital
- Asmara
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Nakfa (ERN)
- Languages
- Tigrinya, Arabic
- Calling code
- +291
- Country code
- ER
Frequently asked questions
Is Asmara the capital of Eritrea?
Yes — Asmara is the capital of Eritrea.
What currency do I need in Asmara?
The local currency is the Nakfa (ERN). Languages spoken in Eritrea include Tigrinya and Arabic.
What is the dialling code for Eritrea?
The international dialling code for Eritrea is +291.
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