Arthur Rimbaud House
Arthur Rimbaud Museum
A wooden mansion with stained-glass windows, built by an Indian merchant in the old town. It is now the Rimbaud Museum, displaying old photographs of the poet and early Harar, and its rooftop overlooks the ancient city.
This two-story wooden mansion was built in the early 20th century. It has stained-glass windows and finely carved wooden ceilings, and it was built by an Indian merchant. It is called the Rimbaud House because of the legend that the French poet Arthur Rimbaud once lived here. In fact, Rimbaud traded in Harar in the 1880s but never lived in this building. It is now the Rimbaud Museum and cultural center. It displays materials on Rimbaud's life, translations of his poems, and photographs he took, along with other early photographs of Harar. The rooftop terrace overlooks the old town's rooftops and the minarets of its mosques, making it a great spot for panoramic photos of the ancient city. Admission is about 50 to 100 birr. The museum is in the eastern part of the old town and can be reached on foot.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–12:00, 14:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Gidir Magala & Old Town Markets
- Sherif Harar City Museum (Ras Tafari's House)
- Medhane Alem Cathedral & Feres Megala
- Tomb of Emir Nur
- Harar Jugol
- Harar Gate
- Harar Hyena Feeding
- Harar Brewery