Butare Tour Attractions
Butare as a Tourist Destination:
Butare is an attractively compact and peaceful town with a reputation of being the intellectual and cultural centre of the country. Butare was the largest and most important city in Rwanda prior to 1965, when it lost out to the more centrally located Kigali, 135km to its north, as the capital of independent Rwanda. However, Butare is still regarded to be the intellectual and cultural pulse of Rwanda.
Location:
Butaro is located about 135 Km south of Kigali. The town hosts several academic institutions including the National University, as well as the famous National Museum which houses one of the finest collections in East Africa and displays the rich cultural history of the Rwandan people.
Attractions and Activities:
The National Museum of Rwanda:
The National museum of Rwanda is located in the town of Butare approximately 135 km (81 miles) from the capital city of Kigali.
The museum is the finest ethnographic museum of East-Africa. It reflects well the time spirit at the end of 19th Century when the East-African Kingdoms came in contact with the first Europeans. The rich insights about Rwanda’s traditional life and culture and the subsequent development during history will contribute to a better understanding of African history. A must for everybody who’s interested in Africa!
The museum is considered to be one of the man made wonders of Rwanda. The museum of Rwanda is built on a plot more than 20 hectares (50 acres) in size. The buildings themselves occupy 2,500 square meters (9,000 sq. feet). The surrounding land has been made into gardens containing indigenous vegetation. The plot is also the home of a traditional craft training center making the entire site an educational experience and a pleasure to visit. The structure of the museum was meant as an expression symbolizing the quality of life in Rwanda.
Traditional dances:
One of the town’s highlights is traditional dances performed by the popular Intore dancers. The Intore Dance Group stage the finest of Rwanda’s varied and dynamic traditional musical and dance styles. The Intore, once the elite of the traditional Rwanda army, were not only trained as military but also in high jump and dance. The Intore became worldwide famous as dancers in 1958 when the World Expo was held in Brussels.
The warriors dance is a jewel of the choreographic heritage of Rwanda. Dressed with a mane made of sisal fibre, Tied up on ankles, little bells jingle on each step, giving the warriors dance a thrilling rhythm.
Art and Crafts:
A wide range of traditional handicrafts is produced in this part of Rwanda, ranging from Basketry and ceramics to traditional woodcarvings and contemporary paintings.
The cultural significance of the Butare area is further underlined by a visit to nearby Nyabisindu, formerly known as Nyanza, the traditional seat of Rwanda’s feudal monarchy. The impressive Royal Palace at Nyanza, an enormous domed construction made entirely with traditional materials, has been painstakingly restored to its 19th century state and is now maintained as a museum.
Other Attractions in Butare Include:
- The largest Cathedral in Rwanda:
- National University of Rwanda:
- The Ruhande Arboretum featuring a range and variety of both imported and indigenous tree species.
- It is also an attractively compact and sedate town of shady avenues emanating from a main street lined with comfortable small hotels and breezy terrace restaurants.
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