Places to visit in Bulawayo: in the city
Last checked December 2004, and a good deal will have changed since.
Opening times, prices, roads and whether a place is open at all change without notice — please confirm anything here before you travel on it. If you have been recently and something is different, tell us what has changed and we will update the page.
The City of Bulawayo
Bulawayo is Zimbabwe’s second largest city. Located in the South-west of the country, it is home to a cosmopolitan people. The Bulawayo area has been populated since prehistoric times. The San (Bushman) people painted their delicate pictures in the caves of the Matobo Hills, the Rozvi kings built a stone city at Khami and the Ndebele nation gave the city its name. The city has wide tree lined streets and is surrounded by beautiful parks, a legacy of Cecil John Rhodes. There are many places to see from a tourist point of view.
The Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History, which houses over 75 000 specimens, is the largest museum in the southern hemisphere. It is the home of the second largest mounted elephant in the world. The displayed exhibits include wildlife, bird, insects exhibits as well as historical and mining displays. The Museum of Natural History is also in the vicinity of The Centenary and Central Parks.
Zimbabwe International Trade Fair
Zimbabwe’s International Trade Fair (ZITF) is also sited in Bulawayo. This forum attracts exhibitors from the SADC region as well as others from overseas countries, mostly wishing to trade with Zimbabwe. The Trade Fair also provides Zimbabwean companies with a window to exhibit their own products to the outside world
The Railway Museum
The Railway Museum, one of the few of its kind in the world, houses a collection of many obsolete railway memorabilia steam locomotives, rolling stock and station buildings - with a variety of other exhibits dating back to 1897 when the first steam engine rolled into the country. Bulawayo is the country’s railway junction and marshalling yard.
Bulawayo Amphitheatre
Bulawayo has its own Theatre and Philharmonic Orchestra and an Academy of Music which contains a specially designed hall where frequent concerts and recitals are given by overseas and local musicians. Also of note is the Amakhosi Cultural Centre, the only one of its kind in Southern Africa. It has an amphitheatre where performances of traditional song, dance and drama are given regularly. Bulawayo is the home of many dynamic and talented cultural groups, who frequently tour overseas providing high quality performances which are in high demand
Bulawayo National Art Gallery
A branch of the National Gallery in Bulawayo, the beautifully-restored Douslin House, a colonial building houses a collection of traditional and modern art, including sculpture.
On-site workshops offer handmade batiks, and there is a shop which sells artwork, curios, sculptures and genuine tribal artifacts.
There are some more attractions which are out of the city boundaries of Bulawayo, for those follow the link below ====>>>
To find out about the Outskirts of Bulawayo go here
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