Namirembe Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral on Namirembe hill is the oldest Anglican cathedral in Uganda and the fifth building on the site: the earlier ones were destroyed by wind, fire and lightning between 1890 and 1910. The present red-brick building, with a broad dome, was consecrated in 1919. Bishop Hannington's remains lie inside, and a drum rather than a bell is used to call worshippers. The hill gives a wide view over Kampala.

What you actually see

• The red-brick cathedral - the 1919 building, the fifth on the site.
• The calling drum - a drum used instead of a bell to summon worshippers.
• The Hannington grave - the burial of the bishop killed in 1885.
• The hill view - Kampala spread out below Namirembe.

When to go

Year round; it is open daily outside services. Sunday services are long and full. Mornings are quietest for visiting.

Honest expectations

It is a working cathedral and services take priority over visiting. The interior is plain. The hill is steep and the approach roads are congested.

Nearby

Mengo Palace is south, and the Uganda Museum is northeast.