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http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2012/02/african-citys-unusual-preservation-legacy/1163/
An African City's Unusual Preservation Legacy
Mark Byrnes
11:45 AM ET
Asmara, capital of Eritrea, is an unexpected time capsule of colonialism.
When Mussolini ruled here, a unique architectural style emerged that was
disconnected from anything that had come before. But with time, it has
become Asmara's history too and locals have embraced the remains. Through
preservation of the Mussolini-era building stock, we see a truly unique
post-colonial urban condition.
There is more to Asmara's colonial era than Italian art deco buildings
along well-planned streets. Mussolini divided the city into four sections,
one for Italians; one for Greeks, Arabs, and Jews; one for industry and one
for Eritreans. This separation helped the Italians place themselves at the
top of the social hierarchy, while also insulating them from unwanted
communication with natives.
Like in Tripoli, boulevards served as the separation lines between these
communities while still allowing for cultural mixing within major
commercial hubs like public markets.
Cultural institutions such as the Asmara Opera House actually helped to
further entrench segregation. For all events, Italians would enter through
the main entrance and sit in the lower levels. Eritreans were required to
enter through the back, proceed up a staircase and sit in the upper
balconies.
Unlike Tripoli, Asmara never went through a period de-Italianization; it's
collection of Italian Modernist architecture is largely viewed as part of
the native culture. In part, this is because colonial-era construction
relied on local labor, which helped to remove some of the more negative
connotations affiliated with these buildings. But a key reason for much of
Asmara's preservation is simply economics. Eritrea is poor, and any
disposable income is further compromised by conflicts with neighboring
Ethiopia. The untouched nature of many of these structures stems from a
lack of funds, and they will continue to decay unless something is done.
The local government is committed to restoring the Opera House to its
original luster. Locals have embraced the iconography of structures like
the fully restored Tagliero gas station and the Casa del Fascio, built as
offices for Mussolini's regime but which now hosts the Ministry of
Education.
Asmarans have also incorporated less tangible Italian cultural perks, like
cinema. Many of the city's Italian-style theaters still operate and
movie-going remains popular. Coffee, grown nearby, takes on an Italian
flair with espresso machines servicing the local cafes. A day in the city
can include a cappuccino at Bar Tre Stelle, a film at Cinema Impero, and a
light dinner at Pizza Napoli.
In a continent typically uncomfortable with embracing the cultural remains
of an exploitative and overtly racist epoch, Asmara remains an unusually
well preserved time-capsule.
Top image: An Italian government building now used by Asmara's Municipal
government; Second image; One of Asmara's main boulevards built during
Mussolini's reign; Bottom image; The Fiat Tagliero gas station, restored in
2003. All images courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
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Received on Wed Feb 08 2012 - 12:18:04 EST
