- Site Name
- Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town
- UNESCO reference number
- 1189
- Property Area
- 48 hectares (ha)
- Universal Value
- Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) Harar Jugol exemplifies the interchange of African and Islamic values through its architecture, urban layout, and traditions, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2006 under Criteria (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v). Key Criteria (ii): Demonstrates significant exchange of human values between African and Islamic worlds via trade routes. (iii): Bears exceptional testimony to Harari cultural traditions, as the fourth holiest Islamic city founded by an Arabian missionary. (iv): Outstanding example of African-Islamic architectural and urban ensemble, including unique townhouses. (v): Represents traditional human settlement interacting with its environment, with vulnerable social structures like afocha
- Geography & Setting
- Geography Harar Jugol sits on a plateau in eastern Ethiopia, about 525 km from Addis Ababa at 1,885 meters elevation, surrounded by deserts, savannah, and deep gorges. Setting The 48-ha walled town features a dense maze of 368 alleys, 82 mosques (including 10th-century ones), 102 shrines, and traditional Harari townhouses with intricate interiors, enclosed by 16th-century defensive walls. Its eastern rural-urban buffer zone preserves the historic landscape against modern expansion. This narrow alley captures Harar Jugol's compact urban fabric, leading toward the Jamia Mosque's minaret.
- History & Story
- Origins Harar Jugol emerged around 1216 AD when Arabic cleric Abadir Umar ar-Rida settled there, becoming an Islamic center; walls were built between the 13th-16th centuries for defense. Golden Age From 1520-1568, it served as the Harari Kingdom's capital, flourishing in trade (coffee, weaving), poetry, and Islamic scholarship as a key route between highlands and coast. Emir Nur ibn Mujahid completed the Jugol walls in 1567, symbolizing Islamic pillars. Later History An independent emirate in the 17th century, it fell to Egypt in 1875 and was annexed by Emperor Menelik II in 1887, declining commercially with the railway's bypass. UNESCO inscribed it in 2006 as the fourth holiest Islamic city with 82 mosques and 102 shrines. This illustration depicts Emir Ahmad III ibn Abu Bakr, highlighting Harar's emirate era rulers.
- Legal protection & management
- Legal Protection Harar Jugol has been a registered Ethiopian National Heritage site since 1974, governed by Proclamation No. 209/2000 for cultural heritage research and conservation, the Harari Heritage Conservation Proclamation (2000), and Proclamation No. 21/1992 establishing the Jugol Heritage Conservation Office (JHCO). Demolition of historic structures is criminalized. Management Structure The Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH, est. 1976) oversees inventory, policies, restoration, and permits; JHCO (est. 2003) coordinates with local Harari Council and kebeles. Tools include Urban Master Plan and GIS for historic structures. Key Measures Four protection levels cover monuments to urban fabric; funding from government plus partners like German Technical Organization supports balancing conservation, tourism, and resident quality of life.
- Visitor experience
- Core Activities Visitors wander the 365 narrow, colorful alleys of Harar Jugol on foot with local guides, discovering 82 mosques, shrines, vibrant markets selling spices and textiles, and traditional Harari townhouses with intricate doors. Highlights include the five historic gates symbolizing Islam's pillars, Rimbaud House museum, and hilltop views. Unique Experiences At dusk, join the Hyena Man to feed wild hyenas outside the walls—a ritual for protection; explore bustling streets with street food, tailors on Girgir Street, and evening walks amid illuminated architecture. Bajaj (tuk-tuks) tours circle the 3.5 km walls. Practical Tips Stay in traditional guesthouses inside Jugol for immersion; hire guides via hotels or the Tourist Office for navigation and safety; modest dress respects the Islamic culture—it's safe but camera use may draw attention.
