Eastern Attraction
Experience the Great Outdoors Like Never Before.
Dire Dawa is a smaller but beautiful upcoming tourist destination that is worth a visit. You will be surprised by some of the unique things to do and places you can explore at this hidden destination. Dire Dawa (Amharic: ድሬ ዳዋ?, Oromo: Dirre Dhawaa, lit. “Place of Remedy”, Somali: Dirre Dhabe, meaning “where Dir hit his spear into the ground”, Arabic: ديري داوا) is one of two chartered cities (astedader akabibi) in Ethiopia (the other being the capital, Addis Ababa). It is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura. Dire Dawa lies in the eastern part of the nation, on the Dechatu River, at the foot of a ring of cliffs that has been described as “somewhat like a cluster of tea-leaves in the bottom of a slop-basin.” At a latitude and longitude of 9°36′N 41°52′E / 9.600°N 41.867°E, it is the second largest city in Ethiopia. The city is an industrial centre, home to several markets and the Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport. Haramaya University is 40 kilometres (25 miles) away.
Arthur Rimbaud Center: Near the middle of the walled city, and often mistakenly called Rimbaud’s House, is this museum dedicated to French poet Arthur Rimbaud with a series of illustrated wall panels about his life. It is in an attractive Indian merchant house built on the site of an earlier house where it is said Rimbaud lived. There is an excellent photographic exhibition of turn-of-the-20th-century Harar.
Eastern Hyena Feeding Site: One of Harar’s two infamous hyena feeding sites, it is located about 1.5km east of Erer Gate (near the garbage dump). This site is usually more productive than the other one because of its isolation and location near the garbage dump (although there is no guarantee).The first sight of Africa’s second-largest predator is usually of vague shadows and luminous green eyes as they skulk in and out of the shadows.
Northern Hyena Feeding Site: Located north of Fallana Gate, this is one of Harar’s two hyena-feeding stations. A highlight of any visit to Harar, this impressive spectacle begins around 6.30pm. There are generally two to four hyenas that make an appearance after the ‘hyena man’ calls them. If none turns up, you will be taken to a nearby hyena den where hyenas can be seen with their pups.
Old Town: Harar’s old walled town (known as Jugal) is a fascinating place that begs exploration. The thick, 5m-high walls running 3.5km around town were erected in the 16th century in defensive response to the migrations northward of the Oromo, and little development occurred outside them until the early 20th century. There are six gates: five 16th-century originals and the car-friendly Harar Gate, also known as Duke’s Gate after Ras Makonnen, the first duke of Harar, who added it in 1889.
Arthur Rimbaud Center: Near the middle of the walled city, and often mistakenly called Rimbaud’s House, is this museum dedicated to French poet Arthur Rimbaud with a series of illustrated wall panels about his life. It is in an attractive Indian merchant house built on the site of an earlier house where it is said Rimbaud lived.
Ras Tafari’s House & Sherif Harar City Museum: Close to Rimbaud’s House, an Indian trader and many of its features, such as the Ganesh craven, built the conspicuous Ras Tafari’s House
Tomb of Sheikh Abadir: The tomb of Sheikh Abadir, Harar’s legendary founder and second emir, is an important pilgrimage site. His tomb still attracts
Smugglers’ Market: The Smugglers’ Market is chock-full of counterfeit clothing and electronics (some real stuff, too) from China. Most of it is smuggled
Jamia Mosque: Harar’s great mosque is the only one inside the wall big enough to host both men and women. The mosque was built in the 16th century,
Feres Magala: The main square is a bustling place with several minor points of interest. Most conspicuous is the monument to those who died fighting against
Shoa Gate Market: Elbow your way through the Shoa Gate Market (also known as the Christian Market) to find etan (incense) from the Jijiga area; it is used in the famous coffee ceremonies. This odoriferous
Recycling Market: Near the Shoa Gate Market is the Recycling Market where men repair metal materials and beat scrap into useful utensils. The whole area
Gidir Magala: Gidir Magala (previously known as the Muslim market) is the main market and the city’s biggest butchery. Watch how the locals hide their meat
St Mary Catholic Church: One of just two churches in Old Harar, St Mary Catholic Church is a haven of peace and a good spot if you need to unwind. It is a French Catholic mission dating from 1889. The carved wooden.
Emir Nur’s Tomb: Emir Nur’s Tomb resembles a spiky green beehive. It is devoted to the ruler who built the city’s walls, and his wife is buried inside.
Mekina Girgir: Leading southeast from Feres Magala, this narrow, atmospheric street is jam-packed with tailors’ workshops, which is how it came to be
Ras Makonnen’s Palace: Do not expect a fairy-tale castle. This late-19th-century ‘palace’ is a sharp-edged, charmless building. You can climb to the top floor and soak
Queen Taitu’s Palace: What is called Queen Taitu’s Palace, next door to Ras Makonnen’s Palace, was neatly restored and now shelters a training center for craft
Ras Makonnen Stature: In the center of Ras Makonnen Sq stands a rather Italian-looking, equestrian statue of the ras (duke) cast in bronze by the well-known.
Tomb of Said Ali Hamdogn: Said Ali Hamdogn was an important 12th-century religious leader. His whitewashed tomb can easily be visited; it looks a little like a miniature
Mikael Cemetery: You do not come to this place below Mikael Church for the graves, but for the excellent views of the old town from the road below them.
Large parts of the park’s lowlands have shrub and tree savannah, which is often very dense with both shrubs and cactus bushes. In the highlands, along the slopes of the ravines one often finds a very interesting dwarf Euphorbia, while the more commonly found Euphorbia trees grow native on the plateau of the reserve. Other mammals living in the park are the Black-maned lion, Leopard, Cheetah, the Hamadryas Baboon, Papio hamadryas, Menelik’s bushbuck, Soemmerring’s Gazelle, and greater and lesser kudu. The bird list of 227 species includes the endemic Salvadori’s serine. Of the reptiles, noteworthy are enormous tortoises and other animals.
Established in 1966, which is the first National park in Ethiopia registered under the proclamations number, with an area of about 756 square kilometers, the Park is the oldest protected area in Ethiopia dedicated to conserve the large population of Beisaoryx, wetlands and hot springs. Much of the Park, located within the northern extreme of the Main Ethiopian Rift and the southern margin of the Afar rift, is a monotonously plain area at an average elevation of 900 m.a.s.l. Notable features of the Park include the Awash River along with the spectacular valley. The National park is hold more than 400 bird species.
Ashura is cultural event, which is going to take place on the tenth of Muharam of Islamic calendar. ‘Ashura’ is celebrated by crushing a freshly cut wood. During this festival, hyenas feed porridge prepared by the local people. In Ashura, Hararis celebrate three different events, which have cultural values. Hararis Cultural Events The first occasion is Wirshato that is smashing of the gourd; this event is accompanied by song. The theme of Wirshato is to condemn the evil and wish peace and prosperity in the coming New Year. The symbolic nature of the celebration is breaking the gourd in order to symbolize the benefit that deserves from breaking the habit. The second event of Ashura, is porridge feeding for people. One has to consume adequately, excessively in voracious intensity. Otherwise, it is assumed that who does not manage to eat to the just portion of the day or to the expectation; it is believed that he is doomed to suffer from hunger throughout the year. Feeding the hyena is the most astonishing events of Ashura. Harar is known as a friend of hyena. Despite people’s consideration, the hyena as a wild animal, hyena is assumed as “messenger of Sheiks” (Derma Sheik) that is a respected guy to hold and disseminate message in thundering and roaring sound. Hararis feed porridge to hyena on Ashura day at numerous sites of shrines:-Aw Hakim, Aw Abdulqadir Jyilan, Aw Nugus and Aw Aboker.
Harar is considered the fourth holiest Islamic city of the world, after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The city accepts Islam eight years before Medina, that makes the Harari people the first society to believe in Prophet Mohammed. The 82 mosques found in Jugal, the Islamic education system and the consequent book bound in Harar, the large concentration of scholars ( Awlyaach) are some of the live evidences that support this conclusion. The 82 mosques in Jugal means that mosques are sited within an average distance of 100 meter to each other making it easier for every family to be present at each prayer session, perhaps this is the largest concentration in the world per area ratio at the time.
Moreover, except for the grand Jami mosque, a couple of points make these mosques unique. First they are very small in size just to accommodate about fifteen families. Second the height of their entrance gate is very short so that a person with an average height could not pass them without bowing down, reminding of him paying respect to the mosque. In addition, these mosques do not have minarets.
Over a milinium since the Harari people used to construct their own houses using the porous stone (hashi un) and mud. This house is a three simple room type; the main front part, the interior and the stair.
The unique feature of any gey gar is that first whatever the outside temperature could be the interior part always remains cool. This is due to the materials with which the house is built. The roof of the house is covered with the properly sequenced timbers up on which grass and clay soil are layered so that it could absorb some heat and coldness. Moreover, the hashi un with which the wall is made up of also contributes to the better air inside the house. The second uniqueness of the Harari house is that the house is decorated with the house hold service materials, which makes it appear shop rather than a residence.Every Harari house has different section, which is entitled for different purposes.
Nadabas most of the front part of the house floor is dominated by five flat raised stages of different size and level known as nadabas. These are gidir (large) nadaba, tit (small) nadaba, amir (king) nadaba, sutri (covered) nadaba and the gabitieher (back door) nadaba. Guests and family members are served by these nadabas based on their knowledge, age and societal status.
Taqets (niches) on all sides of the interior house walls are deeply carven positions of different size and shape known as taqets (niches). These taqets serve like shelves for keeping different properties such as books and some precious items.Kirtat and deira further in to the interior is a bedroom like place called kirtat. Diera is store like place parallel to the kirtat where some food items are kept.
The term Awaach is a place where shrines of the Awliyaa (big Islamic scholars) are located. A person is awarded with the Awliyaa title when he, in his lifetime, did miracles. These Awaach are considered as the protectors of the city.Now a days 438 shrines are identified. It is based on this fact that the city is endowed with a title ‘’ madinat – al awliyaa’’ which means the city of Islamic saints.It is worthwhile to mention some of them starting with AW Abadir, the champion of these awaach.Abadir is the great political and religious father of both Harar. His real name is Umar al Ridaa. When Umar al Rida comes to Harar in the 12th century, the different tribes living around today’s Harar were in a belligerent condition fighting against each other. But thanks to his great leadership quality, Abadir, succeeded in creating peace among the belligerent tribes pulling them to eastablish strong and united government centered in Harar, named by Aw Abadir himself.
The other Awliya who contributed a great deal to the city’s Islamic role is sofi Yahya. He is said to have lived during the regin of Abadir. He succeeded in establishing the first Quranic School with the consent of Abadir. The curricula he created, the methodology he followed, and the type of institution he established are still alive in some of the Quran geys.
This Islamic school of Aw Sofi gradually become popular and spread throughout the city, and in a short period of time there had been as many quran geys as its mosques so that every individual could have access to Islamic education. These schools contributed to the emergence of strong Islamic society. The scholars from these school were able to publish hand written books using local technology. The British Orientals Richard Burton explains the Harari book binding skill ‘’ No eastern country save Perssia surpasses them (the book bound by the Harari people) in strength and appearance’’. As a result Harar become Islamic learning centre of east Africa and known as Timbuktu of east Africa.
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