In 1890, Fort Salisbury was established by a small military force of the British South Africa Company. It was named after British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. The city became the seat of the Rhodesian government. European colonizers gave the city a European atmosphere that still remains to date. In 1982, on the second anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence, it was renamed Harare. The national parliament moved to Mount Hampden in 2022.
Nowadays, Harare is a modern city of nearly 2 million inhabitants. It is the economic heart of Zimbabwe and as all major cities, it comes with the usual high-rise buildings, traffic and the usual bustle and hustle that comes with it. The city center is pretty safe, but don't wonder too much off, as crime rates are high. Be very cautious at night.
In the capital's city center a wide variety of modern office buildings in numerous architectural styles can be found. If you're looking for history, you will have to visit the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. It exhibits African art and material culture, ranging from early African art to colonial and post-colonial painting and sculpture, as well as Shona art and stone sculptures.
The Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences is close to Rotten Row. It has exhibitions on the archaeology of Southern Africa from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. The National Archives house a large collection of artifacts, newspapers and other items from important moments in Zimbabwe's history.
Chapungu Sculpture Park is located in the Msasa Park neighborhood. It was founded in 1970 and exhibits the work of both local and national stone sculptors.
There are numerous parks and green spaces in Harare. The largest park in the city is Harare Gardens, where musicians perform during weekends. There is a small, island-like, area of rainforest where the Victoria Falls and the Zambezi Gorges have been reconstructed on a small scale. The National Botanical Gardens are located in Alexandra Park. It is home to Southern African plants, including msasa, miombo and Cape fynbos.
Cleveland Dam Recreational Park overlooks the dam. It sits along the motorway to Mutare. Mukuvisi Woodlands comprises indigenous msasa and miombo woodland. In the park you can see zebras, giraffes, eland, wildebeest, ostriches, impalas and a wide variety of birdlife.
The Royal Harare Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course, set in msasa woodland.
About 5 km (3 mi) south of the center, the largest market and busiest bus terminal in Zimbabwe are a good place to visit if you'd like to see all the hassle and activity that comes with daily life in the capital. There is a lot of noise, people and above all Mbare musika.
Eastgate Centre is a shopping mall that boasts an innovative and distinctive architecture. It is equidistant (the same distance) from Unity Square and Borrowdale.
The Heroes' Acre is a graveyard, where victims from the Rhodesian Bush War and Zimbabweans who have served their country after independence are buried and commemorated.
For panoramic views over the city, The Kopje (the head in Afrikaans), a granite hill rising above Harare, is the best place to go. It lies to the southwest corner of central Harare.
The are also numerous churches and temples in the city. Some places of interest in the vicinity of Harare include Lake Chivero Dam and Recreational Park, Epworth's Balancing Rocks, Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens, Domboshava National Monument, Vaughn Animal Sanctuary and the Lion and Cheetah Park.
The center of Harare is very small, making it an easy place to explore on foot. Budget accommodation is widely available in the central area of the city; and also cheap shops and much of Harare's nightlife is located in this area, although the cheapest places are found more west of the trendy central shopping area. The area around Kopje is the best place if you want to experience a pungwe, a music and dance performance by top artists that lasts all night long and comes with the usual alcohol.
Interesting places in the vicinity of the capital include the Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens, the Larvon Bird Gardens and Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park.
Samora Machel Avenue
Samora Machel Avenue
Second Street
Africa Unity Square
Jason Moyo Avenue
Post Office
Post Office detail
First Street
Harare
Harare
Z.O.C. Building
Harare ©Stan Mpakati
Harare ©Tanaka Malote
Harare ©Omoniyi David
Harare ©Carlos Kankhungwa
Harare ©Omoniyi David
Harare ©Tatenda Mapigoti