Harar, situated in the eastern highland of Ethiopia, has flourished by dominating the caravan route from Red Sea to the inland Ethiopia. Registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006, the old town of Harar Jugol still maintains its traditional character as Muslim city. This paper aims at the status quo of its architectural heritage by analyzing its building typology as well as the housing conditions for those who reside within the old residences, some of which date back even to the 17th century. According to the full research on both the buildings and the inhabitants in a selected case study area, central Harar was proved to be a unique city with the characteristic of woman-headed society with strong tie among them. Unlike other historical cities in Ethiopia, Harar still keeps the nature of comparatively wealthy residents supported by a dense network of Harari who dispersed all over Ethiopia.
