Nyamata Genocide Memorial (Nyamata Church)
50,000
Victims Buried
1997
Established
9AM-5PM
Visiting Hours
Contact
Phone
About This Memorial
The former Catholic church where thousands sought refuge and were massacred; the church interior preserves clothing, belongings and other evidence, making it a powerful witness site. It preserves the church largely as it stood after the killings: bullet-marked walls, blood-stained altar cloths, pews piled with victims' clothing, and mass graves behind the church compound. Church preserved and converted into a memorial (desacralised in 1997); now a national memorial and UNESCO component.
Victims & Burials
The site is associated with mass killings and burials; museum and burial estimates commonly cited around ~50,000 (site and surrounding area).
Total victims buried: 50,000
History
Established: 1997
Church preserved and converted into a memorial (desacralised in 1997); now a national memorial and UNESCO component.
Features
- Preserved church interior
- Bullet-marked walls
- Blood-stained altar cloths
- Pews piled with victims' clothing
- Mass graves behind church compound
- Personal belongings
Significance
Powerful witness site preserving evidence of church massacre
Plan Your Visit
Visit WebsiteQuick Information
Full Location
Bugesera, Nyamata (≈30 km south of Kigali)
UNESCO Status
Yes
Booking Required
No
Significance
Powerful witness site preserving evidence of church massacre