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Kampala’s most impressive religious landmarks sit on its hills: the Uganda National Mosque on Old Kampala Hill, whose minaret gives the best view over the city; Namirembe Cathedral, the Anglican cathedral on Namirembe Hill; Rubaga Cathedral, the Catholic cathedral on Lubaga Hill; and the Bahá’í House of Worship on Kikaya Hill. Close by in Namugongo is the Uganda Martyrs shrine. Together they make a good half-day tour that also tells the story of how religion shaped Uganda.
Uganda National Mosque
Completed in 2006 with funding from Libya, and long known as the Gaddafi Mosque, the National Mosque stands on Old Kampala Hill, where the British first set up a fort in 1890. It can hold many thousands of worshippers. Guided visits are offered outside prayer times; women are given scarves and wraps, and everyone removes their shoes. The climb up the minaret’s narrow stairs rewards you with views over the city’s seven original hills.
Namirembe and Rubaga cathedrals
Namirembe, the Anglican cathedral, was built on the hill granted to the first missionaries by the Kabaka; the present brick building dates from 1919, after earlier churches burned down. Its graveyard includes early missionaries and church leaders. Rubaga Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Kampala, was completed in 1925 and is the burial place of Uganda’s first African bishop and cardinal. Both hold lively Sunday services with choirs, open to respectful visitors. See our guide to religion in Uganda.
Bahá’í Temple and Namugongo
The Bahá’í House of Worship on Kikaya Hill, completed in 1961, has a large green dome and peaceful gardens open to visitors of all faiths. On the eastern edge of the city, Namugongo has a Catholic basilica and an Anglican shrine on the sites where many of the Uganda Martyrs were killed in 1886, drawing huge crowds each 3 June. See our guide to Namugongo.
Visiting tips
Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, avoid prayer and service times unless attending, and ask before taking photos. Traffic between the hills can be slow, so a driver or guide helps. Combine the tour with the Kasubi Tombs and the Kabaka’s Palace on your first or last day before the gorilla trek, where the permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guides to the Kabaka’s Palace and cultural sites in Uganda.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, with a guide outside prayer times; modest dress is provided.
Namirembe Cathedral on Namirembe Hill.
Rubaga Cathedral on Lubaga Hill.
From the minaret of the National Mosque.
