Église St Pierre

Rwanda


While a good number of memorials in Rwanda are stark reminders of the past atrocities, the genocide memorial church of St Pierre is a beautiful, calm and evocative testament to the strength of the human spirit. The interior is adorned with colourful mosaics and vivid stained-glass windows, while outside a small brick annex displays skulls and bones from some of the 11,000 people who were killed by a drunken mob here.

There are no set opening hours or entry fee, but someone is normally available to open up. To find the church, take the first exit from the roundabout at the entrance to the town if you're arriving from Kigali and you'll come to the church on your right around 300m up the road.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rwanda attractions

1. Museum of the Environment

0.62 MILES

This smart museum on Kibuye's lake shore has educational displays about energy sources and the environmental impact of different types of fuel sources. It…

2. Les Chutes de Ndaba

8.15 MILES

About 25km from Kibuye along the road to Kigali, keep an eye out for this 100m-high waterfall. Buses usually slow down and helpful locals are quick to…

3. Bisesero Genocide Memorial

8.91 MILES

About 30km southeast from Kibuye, the small village of Bisesero is home to stunning scenery and a stirring genocide memorial.

4. Rubona Peninsula

23.99 MILES

Roughly 6km south of town (about RFr1000 by moto-taxi), along a lovely lakeshore road, the Rubona Peninsula is Lake Kivu at its finest. Hills rise steeply…

5. Pfunda Tea Estate

25.34 MILES

During the rainy season, at the height of production, the Pfunda Tea Factory processes up to 90 tonnes of tea from the surrounding plantations daily…

6. Gisenyi Public Beach

25.8 MILES

The strip of sand beneath the main town is a justifiably popular place to take a dip. That said, some travellers imagining Caribbean sands are…

7. Main Market

26.27 MILES

If you have half an hour to spare, make a beeline for the main market, which lies right in the centre of town. It's small but atmospheric. Alongside fresh…