Town Walls

Harar's old walled town is a fascinating place that begs exploration. The thick, 5m-high walls around town, which stand to this day, were erected in the 16th century by an emir, in response to the migrations northwards of the Oromo. Within the walls the city is a maze of narrow, twisting alleys and lanes, replete with historic buildings, including 82 small mosques, numerous shrines and tombs, as well as traditional Harari houses.

The magnificent Adare (Harari) women, known for their very colourful traditional costumes, add to the appeal. Their dresses - usually black, yellow, red or purple - are worn over velvet trousers. Many also wear orange headscarves. Sometimes they carry huge bundles of cloth or baskets on their heads. You should be sensitive when trying to photograph these women.