Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi

Comprising of the 52 clans of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. Numbering three million, these people make up the largest Ugandan ethnic group.

Located in the Kampala district, the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi are the royal remains of this African Dynasty. The tombs constitute an area of almost 30 hectares of hillside, most of which is agricultural and still farmed by traditional methods.

On the hilltop is the former palace of the Kabakas (kings) of Buganda. The Kasubi Tombs were built in 1882 and converted into the royal burial ground in 1884. Four former royals lay buried in tombs within the main structure - a circular building with a domed roof.

The site is a masterful example of architectural achievement using organic materials. Wood, thatch, and reed were used incorporating a wattle and daub technique (basically, a woven framework of crossed wood, called wattles, is applied with a mixture of mud, clay, animal dung and straw to create a structure).

The site is a major spiritual centre for the Baganda, and enveloping their buried royalty in the tombs atop a hill are the intangible beliefs and spirituality of the Baganda. The area was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001.

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