Keren (Tigrinya and Tigre: ከረን, Arabic: كرن, Italian: Cheren), historically known as Sanhit,[2] is the second-largest city in Eritrea.

[citation needed] Keren was originally a trading settlement on the Ethiopian frontier, laying on an arid highland plain between the Ansaba and Barka rivers.

The market was largely dominated by traders from Arkiko, whose grain was brought for purchase in exchange for camels of the local Hedareb tribe.

Goods sold at Keren also included cotton cloth from Sennar and Egypt, as well as ivory, skins, ostrich feathers and maize from Tigre and Amhara.

Four years later Stella built himself a stone house and established an Italian agricultural colony in the area after obtaining a land concession from the local ruler, Dejazmach Haylu of Hamasien.

[4] In the following year, Keren and Bogos were taken over by the Egyptian governor Werner Munzinger, who established a fort at a hill called Sanhit.

Ethiopian control of Keren was short-lived, for in December 1889 the Italians rushed up from Massawa and took the opportunity to seize the town.

During World War II, Keren was the site of a key battle between Italian and British troops in February – March 1941.

Nonetheless, in the period between March and mid-June immediately before the wet season begins, afternoon temperatures still average over 33.1 °C (91.6 °F) for around four months.