The fortified historic town of Harar is located in the eastern part
of the country on a plateau with deep gorges surrounded by deserts and
savannah. The walls surrounding this sacred Muslim city were built
between the 13th and 16th centuries. Harar Jugol, said to be the fourth
holiest city of Islam, numbers 82 mosques, three of which date from the
10th century, and 102 shrines, but the townhouses with their exceptional
interior design constitute the most spectacular part of Harar's
cultural heritage. The impact of African and Islamic traditions on the
development of the town's building types and urban layout make for its
particular character and uniqueness.
