Keren, Eritrea

Keren ከረን
City
Gallery of Keren
Keren Location in Eritrea
Coordinates: 15°46′40″N 38°27′29″E / 15.77778°N 38.45806°E / 15.77778; 38.45806Coordinates: 15°46′40″N 38°27′29″E / 15.77778°N 38.45806°E / 15.77778; 38.45806
Country	Eritrea
Region	Anseba
District	Keren
Elevation	1,590 m (5,220 ft)
Population  (2016)
• City	120,000[1]
• Metro	146,483

Keren (Tigrinya and Tigre: ከረን) and historically known as Sanhit,^[2] is the second-largest city in Eritrea. It is situated around 91 kilometres (57 mi) northwest of Asmara at an elevation of 1,390 metres (4,560 ft) above sea-level. The city sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granitic mountains on all sides. It serves as the capital of the Anseba region, and is home to a number of ethnic groups including the Bilen people, Tigre people and Tigrinya people.

History[]

Keren grew around the Eritrean Railway to Asmara. The railway was later dismantled because of the war, although there are plans to rebuild it. It is an important commercial centre and was the scene of regular battles in both World War II and the Eritrean War of Independence. Keren was the site of a key battle between Italian and British troops in February – March 1941.

Demographics[]

As of 2016, Keren has a population of around 120,000 inhabitants. Residents belong to various, mainly Afroasiatic-speaking ethnic groups, of which the Bilen people, Tigre people and Tigrinya people.

City scenery in Keren

Climate[]

Keren has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh), with two main seasons. There is a short monsoonal wet season from June to September and a length dry season covering the rest of the year. Vis-à-vis most hot semi-arid climates in northern Africa like those of Niamey or N'Djamena, Keren's climate is much less extreme due to the city's higher altitude. Nonetheless, in the period between March and mid-June immediately before the wet season begins, afternoon temperatures still average over 33.1 °C (91.6 °F) for around four months. Following the wet season, temperatures remain very warm to hot during the day, but during the mornings become comfortably cool.

Attractions[]

Madonna of the Baobab. In 1941 Italian soldiers took refuge in the tree from British planes. The tree was hit but the Italians and the shrine survived. It is a popular tourist attraction.

Attractions in the city include the nineteenth century fort, the chapel, lying in a baobab tree, the 1920s former railway station, the old mosque, Sayed Bakri Mausoleum, British Army and Italian Army cemeteries and local markets. The nearby sixth century Debre Sina monastery is also known for its cave dwellings.

Blacksmith shop in Keren

Districts[]

The town's outlying subregions include:

• Elabered
• Geleb Subregion
• Hagaz (Hagat)
• Halhal

Sister cities[]

• Kassala, Sudan
• Trondheim, Norway

References[]

Further reading[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Keren.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Keren.

• (2002), . Little, Brown, ISBN 978-0-349-11526-9. VSO volunteer's story of Eritrea. Hill lived in Keren for two years
• The Globalist Feature, including an extract from Justin Hill's book, Ciao Asmara.