Butare
Encyclopedia
Butare is a city in the Southern Province of Rwanda
and capital of Huye district
. It was the capital of the former Butare Province
, Rwanda
, that was dissolved on January 1, 2006.
Butare has the National University of Rwanda
, which like all educational institutions in Rwanda is bilingual, speaking both French
and English
. It also held the prestigious Nyakibanda Seminary, the Rwandan National Institute of Scientific Research
, the Ruhande Arboretum and a cathedral
.
The city of Butare has long been regarded as the intellectual capital of the country, while Kigali
holds most political power. The Belgian
colonial rulers named the city Astrida, in honor of Queen Astrid of Belgium. The first Catholic mission in 1900 in the country was only a few kilometers from the town center, at Save Hill.
The National Museum of Rwanda
was built in the early 1990s and is a good source of information on the cultural history of the country and the region. It is often referred to in tourist brochures as the finest museum in East Africa
.
From 2006, some sources refer to the city as Huye, after the surrounding district, but most Rwandans continue to use the name Butare.
, a small civilian airport, administered by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority.
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and capital of Huye district
Huye District
Huye is a district in Southern Province, Rwanda. Its capital is Butare, Rwanda's traditional second city. The city itself has also sometimes been known as Huye since 2006, when the district was formed.- Geography, tourism and education :...
. It was the capital of the former Butare Province
Butare Province
Butare was a province of Rwanda prior to its dissolution in January 2006. Butare city is the second largest city in Rwanda and one of the nation's former twelve provinces. It is located in south-central region of the country and borders Burundi to the south...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, that was dissolved on January 1, 2006.
Butare has the National University of Rwanda
National University of Rwanda
The National University of Rwanda is the largest university in Rwanda. It is located at in the city of Butare and was established in 1963 by the government in cooperation with the Congregation of the Dominicans from the Province of Quebec.When it was established, the NUR had three divisions The...
, which like all educational institutions in Rwanda is bilingual, speaking both French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. It also held the prestigious Nyakibanda Seminary, the Rwandan National Institute of Scientific Research
Rwandan National Institute of Scientific Research
The Rwandan National Institute of Scientific Research is a scientific institution based in Butare, Rwanda. It plays an important role in science and technology in Rwanda....
, the Ruhande Arboretum and a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
.
The city of Butare has long been regarded as the intellectual capital of the country, while Kigali
Kigali
Kigali, population 965,398 , is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of...
holds most political power. The Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
colonial rulers named the city Astrida, in honor of Queen Astrid of Belgium. The first Catholic mission in 1900 in the country was only a few kilometers from the town center, at Save Hill.
The National Museum of Rwanda
National Museum of Rwanda
The National Museum of Rwanda is the national museum of Rwanda. It is located in Butare.It was built in the late 1980s and is a good source of information on the cultural history of the country and the region. It is also known as the site of the murder of Queen Dowager Rosalie Gicanda and several...
was built in the early 1990s and is a good source of information on the cultural history of the country and the region. It is often referred to in tourist brochures as the finest museum in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
From 2006, some sources refer to the city as Huye, after the surrounding district, but most Rwandans continue to use the name Butare.
Education
The Groupe Scolaire in Butare is the largest secondary school in Rwanda.Transportation
The city is served by Butare AirportButare Airport
-Location:Butare Airport , is located in the city of Butare, in Huye District, Southern Province. Its location lies approximately , by air, southwest of Kigali International Airport, the country’s largest civilian airport...
, a small civilian airport, administered by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority.