Eritrea broke free from Ethiopia in 1993 after a bitter thirty-year struggle for independence. Before that, the strongest outside influence came from the Italians, who were here for more than 60 years, including a golden age of industrial development and architectural blossoming under Mussolini in the 1930s. Il Duce had a vision of Eritrea becoming the jewel of an empire to rival ancient Rome, and he gave architects free rein to express the spirit of the age through architettura razionale, the fascist response to Art Deco. Miraculously, most of the best buildings in the capital city of Asmara survived the war against Ethiopia and remain gleamingly intact. . .
(continued on p. 274)
Links we like
Asmarino Independent online magazine for those interested in social and political change.
Dehai Busy national and regional news portal.
Eritrea: Adventure and Hospitality Detailed travel guide by an enthusiast who visits every year.
Eritrea Ministry of Tourism Basic tourist info.
This page last edited 9 June 2011 © Richard Trillo and Emma Gregg
First-Time Africa: know before you go 