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Photo: sailko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.Step into Asmara, Eritrea's high-altitude capital famous for its stunning Art Deco architecture, rich history, and vibrant culture. Test your knowledge on this unique African gem!
Curious Wanderer 0–4 · City Explorer 5–8 · Asmara Aficionado 9–10
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Asmara lies at about 2,325 metres on the Eritrean highlands, making it one of the highest capital cities in Africa. The altitude gives it mild, spring-like weather for much of the year, even though the hot Red Sea coast is not far away.
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Cycling was introduced to Eritrea by Italian settlers in the late 19th century. Today, it is the country's most popular sport. On weekends, the streets of Asmara are filled with hundreds of cyclists, and Eritrean riders regularly compete in major global races.
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Completed in 1938, the Fiat Tagliero Building is a striking Futurist service station designed by Giuseppe Pettazzi. Its two huge concrete wings, each about 15 metres long, stick out without a single pillar underneath, just like the wings of an aeroplane. The city authorities doubted they would hold, but they have stood firm ever since.
Photo: sailko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Harnet Avenue is the vibrant heart of Asmara, lined with cafes, cinemas, and elegant colonial-era buildings. The name 'Harnet' means 'Freedom' in Tigrinya. It is the prime location for the traditional evening stroll, known locally as the 'passeggiata.'
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Completed in 1923, the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (often called Asmara Cathedral) was built in the Lombard Romanesque style of northern Italy. Its freestanding brick bell tower, finished in 1925, rises 52 meters and is one of the city's best-known landmarks.
Photo: sailko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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This striking mosque in the heart of Asmara, designed by the Italian architect Guido Ferrazza, blends classic Islamic shapes with sleek Italian Rationalist lines. It was built with Carrara marble shipped in from Italy and travertine from nearby Dekemhare.
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Zigni is a rich stew of meat, tomatoes and red onions, seasoned with berbere, a fiery red spice mix. It is often called Eritrea's national dish and is served on injera, a soft, spongy flatbread: you tear off a piece and use it to scoop up the stew.
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The National Museum of Eritrea in Asmara houses a fascinating collection of archaeological artifacts, including ancient pottery, tomb inscriptions, and fossils. One of its most famous exhibits includes hominid remains discovered in the country's coastal desert, which are believed to be over one million years old.
Photo: sailko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Meb Keflezighi was born in Eritrea in 1975, not far from Asmara, and his family moved via Italy to the United States in 1987. He won Olympic marathon silver in 2004, the New York City Marathon in 2009 and the Boston Marathon in 2014.
Photo: Skechers Inc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Built in 1937 during the Italian administration, Cinema Impero remains one of the world's finest surviving examples of Art Deco and Futurist architecture. The building still functions as a movie theater today, featuring its original interior fittings, vintage projectors, and a striking facade decorated with vertical neon lights.
Photo: sailko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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