Mengo Palace

The Lubiri at Mengo has been the palace of the Kabaka of Buganda since 1885, and the long straight Kabaka Anjagala road runs up to its gate lined with trees. The palace buildings themselves are largely closed, and what visitors are shown is the compound and, in the grounds, an underground bunker built during the Amin period and used as a detention and execution site, with writing left on the walls by those held there.

What you actually see

• The Kabaka Anjagala road - the ceremonial avenue leading to the palace gate.
• The palace compound - the grounds of the Buganda royal residence since 1885.
• The underground bunker - the detention chambers in the grounds, with writing on the walls.
• The gate and enclosure - the ceremonial entrance to the Lubiri.

When to go

Year round; guided visits run in daylight hours. Kingdom events close the site. Weekdays are quieter.

Honest expectations

The palace buildings themselves are not open and the visit is the grounds and the bunker. The bunker is a site of killings and the visit is grim. Guide fees are negotiated and vary widely.

Nearby

Kabaka's Lake is nearby, and Namirembe Cathedral is north.