Exploring Kampala: The Kabaka Palace, Royal Mile, and Idi Amin Torture Chambers, and barkcloth

I took some time on Uganda's Independence Day holiday to explore Kampala and to learn more about Ugandan history and culture.

Pictured here -- a visit to the Kabaka Palace of the Buganda Kingdom 

For more about the Buganda Kingdom, see 

https://buganda.or.ug/

Also on these grounds -- an armory that was converted to Idi Amin's torture chambers

And - an art gallery of works painted on the traditional Bagandan barkcloth

I was provided with this "skirt" for my visit to the palace grounds

the current King does not live here (due to the tragic events that have taken place on these grounds) - but it is still used for ceremonial purposes

the King had visited Edinburgh and was inspired to create a "Royal Mile" from the palace to the parliament in Kampala 

this is along the way from the palace to the parliament - only the King passes through this gate - we drove around it

this Rolls Royce was owned by the former Kingo of Buganda 

military barracks 

We then walked further on the grounds to this armory -- that later became torture chambers.  It is believed that more than 200,000 men and women lost their lives here.

I first saw this bark cloth when visiting the tombs -- but here my guide demonstrated how it was made  

This traditional barkcloth making is recognized by UNESCO -- on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/barkcloth-making-in-uganda-00139

my tour guide with one of his artwork