Kigali
Rwanda · 4 sights · guided virtual tour, about 3 min
Welcome to Kigali, the capital and largest city of Rwanda, set near the country's geographic centre among rolling hills, ridges and valleys. Kigali is a young city. It was founded in 1907, when the colonial resident Richard Kandt chose this site for his headquarters for its central location, views and security, and at independence in 1962 it was still a small town of about 6,000 people. In 1994 Rwanda suffered the genocide against the Tutsi, and since then much of the city has been rebuilt. Our tour includes places of remembrance, so let us move through them with respect.
Sights
Kigali Genocide Memorial
Photo: Hanay · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWe begin at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi, just outside central Kigali. It commemorates the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, and the remains of more than 250,000 people are buried here. The memorial is a permanent place of remembrance for the victims and a place where the bereaved could lay their family and friends to rest. Its visitor centre helps students and others understand the events that led to the genocide. As the reports of mass murder reached the world in April 1994, little was done to stop it. Please take a quiet moment here.
Kandt House Museum
Photo: Building: Designed by unknown architects, constructed 1907 Photograph: ( JA ALT · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsThis modest building is the Kandt House Museum, named after Richard Kandt, the German resident who chose this place for the colonial capital in 1907. At first the settlement was called Nyarugenge; the name was changed to Kigali in 1908. Built in 1908, this is the only historical building from that year still standing. Once a natural history museum, it now tells the story of Rwanda before and during German colonisation. And here is a surprise: it also keeps live reptiles found in the Rwandan countryside, including Nile crocodiles, pythons and cobras.
Campaign Against Genocide Museum
The Campaign Against Genocide Museum is housed in Rwanda's Parliament building. The location was chosen because from December 1993 the building housed 600 soldiers of the Rwanda Patriotic Army, stationed here during preparations for a transitional government. During the genocide, these soldiers were ordered to break out of their confinement to save Tutsi who were being killed. The museum explains how this campaign against the genocide was planned and carried out.
Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre
Photo: Dave Proffer · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAbout 30 kilometres south of Kigali, in the town of Nyamata, stands a former church that is now a national memorial and a World Heritage Site. When the genocide began in April 1994, many Tutsi sought refuge in churches, believing them to be safe. About 10,000 people gathered here and locked themselves inside, but the attackers broke holes in the walls to throw grenades in, and thousands were killed. The remains of 50,000 people are buried at the memorial. It is one of six national memorial sites in Rwanda. Please pause here in silence.
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