Keren is the second largest city in Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

. It is situated about 91 kilometers northwest of Asmara

Asmara

Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...

. The town serves as the capital of the Anseba region

Regions of Eritrea

||At the time of Independence in 1993 Eritrea was arranged into ten provinces. These provinces were similar to the nine provinces operating during the colonial period. In 1996, these were consolidated into six regions...

, and is home to the Bilen

Bilen people

The Bilen, Blin or Bilin, also known as the Bogo or North Agaw, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They are primarily concentrated in central Eritrea, in and around the city of Keren, and south toward Asmara, the nation's capital.-Overview:Some of the Bilen entered Eritrea from Ethiopia...

 ethnic group.

History

The city grew around the Eritrean Railway

Eritrean Railway

The Eritrean Railway is the only railway system in Eritrea. It was constructed between 1887 and 1932 by the Kingdom of Italy for the Italian colony of Eritrea, and connected the port of Massawa with Bishia near the Sudan border. The line was essentially destroyed by warfare in subsequent decades,...

 to Asmara

Asmara

Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...

, now 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

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 and the Eritrean War of Independence

Eritrean War of Independence

The Eritrean War of Independence was a conflict fought between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists, both before and during the Ethiopian Civil War. The war started when Eritrea’s autonomy within Ethiopia, where troops were already stationed, was unilaterally revoked...

. Keren was the site of a key battle between Italian and British troops

Battle of Keren

The Battle of Keren was fought as part of the East African Campaign during World War II. The Battle of Keren was fought from 5 February-1 April 1941 between the colonial Italian army defending it's colonial possession of Eritrea and the invading British and Commonwealth forces. In 1941, Keren was...

 in February - March 1941.

Demographics

As of 2005, the population of Keren has been estimated to be 86,483. The city inhabitants belong to various mainly Afro-Asiatic

Afro-Asiatic languages

The Afroasiatic languages , also known as Hamito-Semitic, constitute one of the world's largest language families, with about 375 living languages...

-speaking ethnic groups, but the Bilen

Bilen people

The Bilen, Blin or Bilin, also known as the Bogo or North Agaw, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They are primarily concentrated in central Eritrea, in and around the city of Keren, and south toward Asmara, the nation's capital.-Overview:Some of the Bilen entered Eritrea from Ethiopia...

 and the Tigre

Tigre people

The Tigre are an ethnic group residing in Eritrea and Sudan. They are a nomadic and pastoralist people, related to the Tigray-Tigrinya people of Eritrea and Ethiopia and to the Beja people of Sudan.-History:...

 are dominant.

Climate

Its climate is semi-desert hot during summer and cold during winter. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Attractions

Attractions in the city include the Tigu nineteenth century Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

ian fort, the St Maryam Deari chapel

Chapel

A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...

, lying in a baobab

Baobab

Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....

 tree, the 1930s former railway station, the old mosque, Sayed Bakri Mausoleum, British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 and Italian Army

Italian Army

The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...

 cemeteries and local market

Market

A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...

s. The nearby sixth century Debre Sina

Debre Sina (Eritrea)

Debra Sina is a monastery in the highlands of Eritrea near Keren in the Anseba Region. It is the site of a pilgrimage by Eritrean Orthodox believers each year in June. The pilgrimage centres on a church above the village where a vision of Mary was said to have been seen by shepherd girls beneath a...

 monastery

Monastery

Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

 is known for its cave

Cave

A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...

 dwellings.

Districts

The town's outlying districts

Districts of Eritrea

The regions of Eritrea are divided into districts, as follows:-Anseba Region:* Adi Tekelezan* Asmat* Elabered* Geleb* Hagaz* Halhal* Habero* Keren City* Kerkebet* Sela-Central Region:* Berikh* Ghala Nefhi* North Eastern* Serejaka...

 include:

• Elabered
• Geleb
• Hagaz
  Hagaz
  Hagaz or Hagat is a town in central Eritrea. It is located in the Anseba region and is the capital of Hagaz District. It contains the Hagaz Agricultural and Technical School....
  
   (Hagat)
• Halhal
  Halhal
  Halhal is a village in western central Yemen. It is located in the San‘a’ Governorate.-External links:*...
  
  
• Melabso

Further reading

• Hill, Justin (2002), Ciao Asmara, A classic account of contemporary Africa. Little, Brown, ISBN 978-0349115269. 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.