Nyanza

The Nyanza Royal Palace, the Rwandan monarchy is set right in Nyanza City. It is a must-visit historical and cultural site while on a Rwanda safari in Nyanza. At the royal palace, visitors get to explore the different ways of life of the traditional Rwandan kings. It is uniquely built featuring a dome-shape, consisting of traditional materials and is set right on top of a hill in Nyanza city. From Butare, the palace is 35km from Kigali, about 1.5 hour’s drive.

The historical Nyanza royal palace is notably the centre of traditional history in Rwanda. There is a paved road leading tourists to Nyanza and the Royal Palace, but for easier access, you need a private means of transport such as a rental car.

It is a remarkable landmark, being home to the former king (Umwami) of Rwanda –Mutara III Rudahigwa and it is situated within walking distance from the city centre (Nyanza). The site currently serves as a museum where displays of the former king, and how he lived at the palace can all be explored by tourists. Besides, visitors can also learn more about the reign of King Yuhi V Musinga and his son Umwani Rudahigwa.

The site showcases the typical traditional Rwandan monarchy. The monarchy is anciently modelled according to the 1950s Italianate Bungalows & distinctly decorated in pale green exterior and a sparse interior with grand fireplaces.

There are extraordinary rooms and inside the bathroom, there is a beautiful regalia. The royal hut was built to showcase life as it was during the ancient times of Umwani Musinga who happened to be the last king to stay in such a hut. Across the valley, there is a stunning Mwima Hill where King Mutara III Rudahigwa & Queen Rosalie Gicanda were buried.

On a visit to the royal palace, you will also view the Rwesero Hill where the royal palace is located also believed to be the residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa. This was built in 1931 by the Belgians, but he didn’t stay in it and it serves as an art museum where varieties of artworks that showcase Rwanda’s history exist.

To have a complete tour of the historical and cultural royal palace, a visit to Roi church should be a must-visit. It is from this church where King Mutara III Rudahigwa gave his life to Christ Jesus on the 27th of October 1946.

What is amazing about King Mutara III is that he was the first monarch to convert to Catholicism. At the site, you will explore the remarkable architectural uniqueness inside the royal company, and important areas of interest include why the royal beer brewer’s hut had a strange entrance with no lip and also, explore why a woman who looked after the king’s milk wasn’t meant to get married. Behind the royal compound, there are sacred cows/the majestic Inyambo with their long horns consisting of tips measuring 2.5m.

The ethnographic museum is amazingly the heart of Rwanda’s rich culture, a remarkable present from King Badouin of Belgium in the late 1980s. Currently, the museum features among a few of Africa’s significant ethnographic collections including 7 galleries, and unique archaeological artefacts. There are geographical and geological exhibitions, where you can find the tools used for hunting, farming, pottery, woodwork and weaving, etc.