Saint Paul's Cathedral Namirembe
Updated: Sep 16
Saint Paul's Cathedral Namirembe is the cornerstone of Anglican faith in Uganda from its humble beginnings in 1889 as a mission station to its current status as the largest and oldest Anglican Cathedral in the country.
It serves as the provincial cathedral of the Anglican Church of Uganda and the diocesan cathedral for Namirembe Diocese. It serves not only as a place of worship but also as a historical site reflecting Uganda's colonial past and the spread of Christianity in the region. It is situated on Namirembe Hill, approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), by road, west of Kampala's central business district .
Tragedy befell the first four church structures:
The first church building, constructed in 1890, with a capacity of 800 people, was abandoned in 1891 because it was located in a swampy area at the base of Namirembe Hill.
The second church building was constructed between July 1891 and July 1892, with a seating capacity of more than 3,000. In October 1894, strong winds during a thunderstorm blew the roof off the church and it was ruined.
The third church building was built between 1894 and 1895. It had a seating capacity of about 4,000 worshippers. That building, constructed with traditional African materials, was abandoned in the early 1900s due to fear that termites would destroy it.
The fourth church building was constructed with earthen brick walls and a thatched roof, between 1900 and 1904. At the opening ceremony, on 21 June 1904, an estimated 10,000 people were in attendance. The congregation included Kabaka Daudi Chwa II, then aged seven years. On the afternoon of 23 September 1910, the roof was gutted by a fire which started when lightning struck the building. Within less than thirty minutes, the entire roof was destroyed and the church was ruined.
The current St Paul's Cathedral was constructed between 1915 and 1919 using earthen bricks and earthen roof tiles. The cathedral is still standing, but needs repairs from time to time. The building is one of the National Cultural Sites of Uganda
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