Uganda is set to add Architectural Tourism onto its list of core travel experiences, according to Uganda Tourism Board.
While appearing on a TV Talk Show, Lilly Ajarova - the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Tourism Board announced that the Board is changing its focus, based on marketing the Country’s landscape and wildlife to architectural tourism as the sector struggles to find solutions to Covid-19 induced challenges.
In the past few years, tourism has been a huge contributor to Uganda’s economy. Combining 1.5 million international arrivals before Covid-19, together with a growing number of domestic tourists, it generated 7.75% of Uganda’s GDP and 6.7% of the total national employment in 2018.
Uganda’s tourism is currently focused on Uganda’s landscape and wildlife, characterized by its magnificent variety of colors, brilliant life, insects, birds, reptiles, beasts, flora and fauna. It’s not surprised that, British statesman and writer, Winston Churchill named it; the Pearl of Africa.
Architectural Tourism:
Architectural Tourism means or involves going to a travel destination to see historical monuments and architecture, as a main goal or as a secondary added-on effect for the traveler.
Some of the notable architectural sites in Uganda include;
1. THE OWEN FALLS DAM
Built in 1954, the Owen Falls Dam manifested as the entry and exit points of Jinja on the western side of the town, before the completion of the newly constructed Source of the Nile Bridge that was commissioned on 17th October, 2018. After a nearly 80 km journey, the outstanding structure - discharging water and the River Nile declared one’s arrival into Jinja from Kampala. Until recently, after the commissioning of the new bridge, the nearly 60-year-old magnificent structure remained the single most recognizable and defining landmark in Jinja. Although still operating, the bridge is only used by motorbikes, which are not allowed to operate on the new bridge.
2. JINJA TOWN HALL - NOW JINJA CITY HALL
Jinja Town Hall was designed by Cobb, Powell and Freeman in the Tropical Modernist style; these, now City Council offices marked Jinja’s transition from a township to a municipality and now City. This building, built in 1958, is home to the council chambers, a ceremonial main hall, the Jinja Mayor offices, Town Clerk and other officials. The colonial era structure still maintains an impression of stateliness worth beholding. The unique design with a magnificent clock tower, gives the building its majestic nature. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the rise of Jinja town to city status might cause some changes to the Hall.
3. THE JINJA POST OFFICE
It is recorded that in Uganda, Jinja was the first place to get a post office in 1906. This post office idea was first sold to the British colonial masters by Hajji Tamachi, an Indian settler, who proposed that such a place needed a post office. He however, ended up funding it himself after the British, claimed that it wasn't a viable idea at the time and couldn't start up one. In the days before Telephones, mail dominated the day; the post office was always abuzz with people dropping and picking mail.
4. JINJA CENTRAL POLICE STATION
Currently housing the Jinja Central Police Station, this building, with its outstanding location at the corner of Rippon Road and Main Street, has served the same function since 1928, when it was put up to curb the rising lawlessness brought about, at the time, by the newly constructed railway and taxi park in Jinja.
5. JINJA RAILWAY BRIDGE
Built in 1926, the Jinja Railway Bridge is an achievement of engineering for its time and location. This magnificent bridge then, connected Kampala to the Uganda Railway line, providing road and pedestrian access across the Nile. Although it narrowed Jinja’s importance as a port, the bridge did cut down the journey between Jinja and Kampala, allowing easy travel between different fishing villages on either side of the river.
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