Bulawayo
(Zimbabwe)
Welcome from Mr. Solomon Mguni
His Worship The Mayor
It is an honour to welcome all our visitors to the City of Bulawayo - The City of Kings. Bulawayo is the second largest City in Zimbabwe and the centre of the Matabeleland North and South Provinces.
It is founded on an area selected by King Lobengula, the last of the Matabeleland Kings as his capital, hence the name “City of Kings”. Bulawayo attained town status on the 1st June 1894.
It is home of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair which is the major international shopping window for Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo is a cultural and eco-tourism hub with a number of game, bird sanctuaries and nature reserves. It is a gateway to the Country’s prime tourist resorts, Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and the majestic Great Zimbabwe.
The city hosts the National Museum of Natural History, Railway Museum, National Art Gallery, Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre, Khami Ruins, Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage, Tshabalala Game Sanctuary and many more.
The City of Bulawayo carries a rich art, cultural and historical heritage which cannot be forgotten. The city prides itself in having a rich history, it houses some Victorian era buildings which are still standing today. The city tells a story of the industrialization of Bulawayo. Bulawayo is an ideal destination with a Heritage trail consisting of the Hanging Tree, Mzilikazi Memorial Library, Illuminated Fountain, Pioneers Memorial and Town Clock and Chimes among others.
The weather is mostly pleasant throughout the year.
Welcome to the City of Bulawayo.
Solomon Mguni
His Worship The Mayor
Bulawayo: A historical background
Bulawayo was originally the home of Lobengula, the last of the Matebele Kings. It is known as “The City of Kings” because of the Ndebele chiefs who ruled in the area after breaking away from Zulu land in the south. However, it is now called the City of Kings and Queens, to appease the Bulawayo women.
Located at a vantage point in the Sub-Saharan Region, Bulawayo forms the axis of a well-planned road and rail network to the north, south, east and west of Zimbabwe. It thus has the dual role of being the regional capital for Southern Zimbabwe and also a link to the interior of Southern Africa. With its proximity to South Africa, it was natural for Bulawayo to develop as the industrial hub of Zimbabwe. It is located as a link between South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and the rest of the country.
Today, Bulawayo is one of the country's most attractive cities, with a pleasing mixture of Victorian and modern architecture which gives it a unique character. From a tourist view, Bulawayo has a lot to offer, either from within itself or the surroundings. The city is located near Matobo National Park, Khami Monument which are both UNESCO Heritage Sites. Being in Bulawayo gives one close proximity to Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park. In the city there is the National Art Gallery, housed in a Victorian era building, the Railway Museum and at the Natural History Museum amongst other attractions.
Matobo National Park
Located 32km from Bulawayo, the park covers an area of 2000sq km and is a unique cultural landscape. It boasts of fantastic rock formations and bushman paintings. The park overlooks several picturesque dams where there are excellent camping and picnic spots.
Matobo National Park is a rhino sanctuary and has large concentrations of black eagles. Other species like impala, wildebeest, zebra, sable, and klipspringer can be spotted within the Park. Visitors at the park can enjoy game viewing, fishing, boating, hiking and birdwatching.
Within the park are iconic caves namely Pomongwe, Nswatugi and White Rhino Cave and just outside the park is the Silozwane Cave. These caves tell a story of ancient civilisation through the paintings done thousands of years ago by the early inhabitants.
Khami Monument
The monument was the capital of the Torwa dynasty, which arose from the collapse of the Great Zimbabwe Kingdom between 1450 -1650 and was abandoned during the Ndebele incursions of the 19th century. It is composed of a complex series of platforms of dry-stone walled structures, emulating a later development of Stone Age culture.
The chief’s residence (Mambo) was located towards the north on the Hill Ruin site with its adjacent cultivation terraces. The population lived in daga huts of cobwork, surrounded by a series of granite walls. These structures display a high standard of workmanship, a great number of narrow passageways and perambulatory galleries and impressive chevron and chequered wall decorations.
The iconic Mother and Child rock formation in Matobo National Park is the symbol of the park which represents a larger part of the Matobo area which is renowned for its intricate rock formations.
Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe
The Museum was built in 1962 and because of its stunning displays and valuable research collections it is the best museum in Southern Africa and rank fourth in size among the museums of Africa. It is an impressive circular building with nine public display galleries, a lecture hall with a seating capacity of 120 people, a cafeteria, and eight research departments with substantial study collections and ongoing research in the following disciplines: Arachnology and invertebrates, Entomology, Ornithology, Mammology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Paleontology and Geology, and Archaeology.
Diana's Pool (Embizeni)
These magnificent pools are 70km southeast of Bulawayo. The local name Embizeni meaning “place of the pots” is taken from the potholes that the rain water has carved on the rocks over time. There are many pools and they vary in size. The area has the allure of mystery to it is believed there are the mermaids. It is said that sometimes when you arrive in the morning, you find the water dancing or sometimes you find it rising as if someone is pushing it up when there will be no wind. The pool never dries up. Within close proximity to the pools are the seasonal waterfalls namely Matshatshatsha and Lumene. There are also some caves with bushman paintings documenting their day to day activities back in time.
Blue Hills Camp Umzingwane
Blue Hills Camp offers breath-taking adventurers’ activities like zip lining, mountaineering, quad biking, mountain biking, mini golf etc. It also offers accommodation and camping facilities.
Lumene Falls
This breath-taking attraction in Bezha Village in Umzingwane District is a beautiful cascading seasonal waterfall that comes from an underground spring. Situated in beautiful mountains and forests, Lumene Falls is a charming natural wonder with many rock outcrops featuring boulders of all shapes and sizes. There is a campsite area near the waterfall.
Lumene Falls
Places of interest within the City
Bulawayo Sun Casino
The Casino is situated inside the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds. The casino gaming area features 70 slot machines and live table games that include Blackjack, American Roulette and Vary jack.
St Mary's Basilica
St Mary’s is a Minor Basilica and the only Basilica in Southern Africa. It is located on Herbert Chitepo and 10th Avenue. The word Basilica from an architectural perspective means a church building where the central nave is higher than the flanking side aisles, usually with clerestory windows between side roofs and the central roof. Such a building is of defined and fixed measurements. There are two classes of Basilica in Catholic designation, minor and major. It was conferred a Minor Basilica by Pope Francis on 31 August 2013.
Railway Museum
The museum is situated behind the Bulawayo Railway Station in the Raylton suburb of Bulawayo. Access is possible via the pedestrian footbridge at the station. Its oldest exhibits date back as far as 1897, and include Cecil Rhodes' personal railway coach.
The Museum is owned by the National Railways of Zimbabwe. Opened in 1972, the Museum displays a wealth of small exhibits and models as well as steam and diesel electric locomotives.
Office details
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
Coal House
95 Robert Mugabe Way/9th Avenue
Bulawayo
+263 292 272354/8
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