Kampala Hill
Encyclopedia
Kampala Hill, commonly referred to as Old Kampala, is a hill in the center of Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
's capital and largest city.
Location
Kampala Hill is bordered by MakerereMakerere
Makerere is a neighborhood in the city of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The name also applies to the hill on which this neighborhood is perched; one of the original seven hills that constituted Kampala at the time of its founding.-Location:...
to the north, Nakasero
Nakasero
Nakasero is the hill where the central business district of Kampala is located. Kampala is Uganda's capital and largest city.-Location:Nakasero is bordered by Mulago to the north, Makerere to the northwest, Old Kampala to the west, Namirembe and Mengo to the southwest, Nsambya to the south, Kibuli...
to the east, Mengo
Mengo, Uganda
Mengo is a hill in Lubaga Division, Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.-Location:Mengo is bordered by Kampala Hill to the north, Nsambya Hill to the east, Kibuye to the southeast, Ndeeba to the south, Lubaga Hill to the west and Namirembe Hill to the northwest. The coordinates of Mengo Hill...
to the south and Namirembe
Namirembe
Namirembe is a hill in Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. It is also a common name given to girls in several Baganda clans. Namirembe comes from the Luganda word “mirembe” meaning “peace”. Namirembe loosely translates into Full of Peace...
to the west. The coordinates of the hill are 00°18′55"N, 32°34′07"E (Latitude: 0.3153; Longitude: 32.5685). When calculating distances between Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
and other places, Kampala Hill is often taken as the starting point.
History
Before the arrival of the British, Kampala Hill, along with the neighboring environs, was a favorite hunting ground of the King of BugandaKabaka of Buganda
Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda. According to the traditions of the Baganda they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other material....
. The area was particularly rich with game, especially Impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...
, a type of African antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
. The word Impala, most probably comes from the Zulu language
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
. The British referred to the hill as the Hill of the Impala. The Luganda translation comes to Akasozi K'empala. Through repeated usage, the name of the place eventually became Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
. The name then came to apply to the entire city.
Frederick Lugard
Frederick Lugard
Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard GCMG, CB, DSO, PC , known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator, who was Governor of Hong Kong and Governor-General of Nigeria .-Early life and education:Lugard...
, the British soldier who arrived in Uganda in the 1890s, built his fort on top of the hill. The original fort was relocated to a different site on the hill in 2003, to accommodate the largest mosque in Uganda, with a seating capacity of 15,000 people, built with monetary assistance from Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The completed mosque was opened officially in June 2007.
Overview
Kampala hill was the nucleus of the city of KampalaKampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
. When the city expanded to other neighboring hills, the place began to be referred to as Old Kampala, a name that is still in use today, 120 years later. As of 2010, the hill is a mixed commercial and residential neighborhood with high-rise apartment complexes, shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, bed-and-breakfast establishments and several motels. The neighborhood is a beehive of activity, both during the week and on weekeds.
Landmarks
Landmarks on Kampala Hill or near the hill include:- The site where St. Matiya MulumbaMatiya MulumbaSaint Matiya Mulumba, also known as Matthias Murumba Kalemba , was a Ugandan Roman Catholic, one of the Martyrs of Uganda, who was martyred on or around May 30, 1886 at around the age of 50.-External links:* at Patron Saints Index...
was murdered on 30 May 1886 - One of the Uganda Martyrs - The Uganda Moslem Supreme Council Mosque (also known as Gaddafi Mosque) - The largest mosque in Uganda; seating capacity 15,000.
- Fort Lugard - Built in the 1890s, by Lord Lugard, the first militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
administrator of the British East Africa Company - Old Kampala Hospital - A private hospital
- Old Kampala Senior Secondary School - A non-residential public high school
- A branch of Diamond Trust Bank (Uganda) LimitedDiamond Trust Bank (Uganda) Limited-Overwiew:As of November 2011, the bank is a fast-growing, medium-sized, banking institution, providing commercial banking services to individuals and small-to-medium-sized corporate clients...
- Nana Hostel - An upscale residential hostel for affluent university students
- Old Kampala Police Station
- The Headquarters of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council
- Nakivubo Stadium - Seating capacity 25,000, located in the valley between Kampala Hill, NakaseroNakaseroNakasero is the hill where the central business district of Kampala is located. Kampala is Uganda's capital and largest city.-Location:Nakasero is bordered by Mulago to the north, Makerere to the northwest, Old Kampala to the west, Namirembe and Mengo to the southwest, Nsambya to the south, Kibuli...
and MengoMengo, UgandaMengo is a hill in Lubaga Division, Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.-Location:Mengo is bordered by Kampala Hill to the north, Nsambya Hill to the east, Kibuye to the southeast, Ndeeba to the south, Lubaga Hill to the west and Namirembe Hill to the northwest. The coordinates of Mengo Hill...
See also
- KampalaKampalaKampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
- NakaseroNakaseroNakasero is the hill where the central business district of Kampala is located. Kampala is Uganda's capital and largest city.-Location:Nakasero is bordered by Mulago to the north, Makerere to the northwest, Old Kampala to the west, Namirembe and Mengo to the southwest, Nsambya to the south, Kibuli...
- MengoMengo, UgandaMengo is a hill in Lubaga Division, Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.-Location:Mengo is bordered by Kampala Hill to the north, Nsambya Hill to the east, Kibuye to the southeast, Ndeeba to the south, Lubaga Hill to the west and Namirembe Hill to the northwest. The coordinates of Mengo Hill...
- NamirembeNamirembeNamirembe is a hill in Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. It is also a common name given to girls in several Baganda clans. Namirembe comes from the Luganda word “mirembe” meaning “peace”. Namirembe loosely translates into Full of Peace...
- Kampala DistrictKampala DistrictKampala District is a district in Uganda that is coterminous with the country's capital city, Kampala. The district is named after the city. The main language spoken is Luganda. However many other languages are spoken, including: English, Swahili, Runyankole/Rukiga, Acholi and...