Architectural attractions in Asmara

Answer: The Neo-Gothic St. Joseph Cathedral, built by the Italians in 1922, and the Al-Hulafa Ar-Rashidin Mosque are the city’s key religious symbols. A must-visit is the Palace of Italy (1930s) with its futuristic Art Deco facade. The National Museum of Eritrea houses artifacts from the Axumi civilization and a collection from the Italian colonial period.

Answer: The unique mix of Art Deco, Futurism and Neoclassicism was created by Italian architects in the 1930s, including Giuseppe Pettazoni (author of the Impero cinema). The Fiat Tagliero is a masterpiece of industrial modernism with a screw ramp. Local craftsmen adapted European styles using travertine and coral limestone.

Answer: The railway museum with steam locomotives of the 1880s and a model of the mountain road Massawa-Asmara will captivate young engineers. Semenavi Park with centuries-old ficuses and playgrounds is an ideal place for a picnic. Children will love the Tank Memorial, a real armored vehicle from the War of Independence.

Answer: Rotunda "Ende Haros" on the hill with a panorama of the city is especially picturesque at sunset. The facades of buildings on Harnat Avenue with geometric bas-reliefs are ready-made scenery for stylish shots. Mosaics in the interior of the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary create a unique light pattern.

Answer: The underground tanks of the Aksum period near the Church of St. Michael are an engineering miracle of the fifth century. The Brendisi Wine Factory of 1939 preserved the original oak barrels and mechanisms. Villa Ferdinando Martini is hidden in a palm grove with preserved frescoes by modernist Augusto Pancini.

Answer: The bronze monument commemorates the 2,000 Italian prisoners of war who built the highway in 1941. The Banco di Roma building became the headquarters of the British administration in 1945-1952 and the Tank-T55 Monument commemorates the breakthrough site of Eritrean troops on May 24, 1991.