Imperial Palace

Eritrea


Overlooking the harbour just north of the gates of the Dahlak Hotel is the Imperial Palace, the original iteration of which was built by the Turkish Osdemir Pasha in the 16th century. The present building dates from 1872, when it was built for the Swiss adventurer Werner Munzinger. During the federation with Ethiopia, it was used as a winter palace by Emperor Haile Selassie, whose heraldic lions still decorate the gates and by whose name the building is still commonly referred to.

The palace was badly damaged during the Struggle for Independence, and its present state gives a very vivid introduction to how all of Massawa looked shortly after the war and what to expect of much of the Old Town.

It's usually possible to wander around the grounds, as the gates are rarely locked.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Eritrea attractions

1. Hotel Savoiya

0.26 MILES

As you come over the causeway from Taulud Island, a broad sweep of white, arcaded palazzi (palaces) stretches out before you. On the corner you'll see the…

2. Old Railway Station

0.32 MILES

Built during the Italian occupation, the columns and elegant facade look completely abandoned from the front but a wander inside reveals that several…

3. Turkish House

0.43 MILES

In a square beside the Banco d'Italia is a rare example of a Turkish house with a domed roof, now partially restored and serving food and drinks out of a…

4. Banco d'Italia

0.44 MILES

On the far end of the northern coastal road from the causeway, you'll see the Banco d'Italia, a ramshackle copy of the 1920s original and a mishmash of…

5. Campo

0.44 MILES

A huge square lined on all sides by houses with trellised balconies, finely carved wooden doors, and shutters of Turkish or Egyptian origin. Local…

6. Coral-Block House

0.45 MILES

At the port entrance, this is a good example of a 17th-century house constructed of coral-block, which for centuries was the preferred local building…

7. Covered Bazaar

0.45 MILES

Though now reflecting little of its former glory, the ancient roof of this market – in the Turkish style – was beamed like an upturned boat; there are…

8. House of Abu Hamdum

0.47 MILES

A remarkable example of Turkish Ottoman architecture with its mashrabiyya (trellised) balcony, which allowed cool breezes to enter and the air inside to…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "eritrea/the-red-sea-coast/massawa/attractions/imperial-palace/a/poi-sig/437880/355287",
      "destination": "Eritrea",
      "continent": "Africa",
      "country": "Eritrea",
      "position": "superzone"
    }