The cathedral of Rubaga is among the famous worship and architectural places in the country of Uganda. Positioned on the summit of Rubaga hill, the cathedral reckons as one of the high ranking religious and touristic fascinators in the city of Kampala. The site is a significant center in terms of religious, education, hospitality and health to the people of Kampala.

Also referred to as St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, it is over 3 Km from the city center and can be accessed by a drive, or a walk. Built in an ancient Roman architecture, it was put up in the early 20th Century by the earliest missionaries. The splendid piers, great color paintings of catholic saints featured in its well carved windows and the fabric mosaics combine to make Rubaga cathedral an amazing wonder in the middle of Kampala city.

Adjacent to Rubaga cathedral is one of the five mother hospitals of Uganda – Rubaga hospital. The cathedral back yard has a cemetery where various historical religious personalities lay in rest including the first African Catholic Bishop Joseph Kiwanuka, first African Catholic cardinal, Cardinal Nsubuga Emmanuel to mention but a few. The hill derives its name from Luganda word Okubaga literally meaning to plan, the hill was used by the Buganda Military generals to plan their wars thus the name.

The tale has it that the place was a palace of the 19th King of Buganda, Kabaka Nsobya from 1724 to 1734. In the late 1800s, the fire tragedy befell the place forcing people to abandon it. Upon the arrival of missionaries, the then Kabaka (king) of Buganda Kabaka (king) Mwanga offered the land to them which culminated in the establishment of the cathedral from1914 – 1925. The summit of Rubaga offers great scenic views of Kampala city.