Travel Guide Dodoma

Dodoma is the political and official capital of Tanzania. Yet it has a population of just 230,000 within the city walls, and 2.2 million including the outskirts. A limited size for an African city. Situated at an altitude of 1,115 m, Dodoma is very flat, with a rather diffuse urban fabric. Of little interest (which explains why few politicians live here, preferring the hustle and bustle of Dar), the capital still retains a few German colonial buildings, including the Central Railway station, the beautiful St. Paul's Catholic cathedral, the Church Missionary Society's Anglican cathedral (a reclaimed Sikh temple), a large central market worth a visit and a pedestrian zone. Near the Catholic cathedral, you'll also find an English and German military cemetery. The hill to the north of the city is called Lion Rock, and that to the south, Inagi Hill, with the city's water source at its foot. In Bihawana, south-west of Dodoma, you can visit Tanzania's first vineyard: planted by Italian missionaries in 1957. Since then, production has continued and Dodoma's red wine is one of the country's success stories. Kondoa (and all its rock art sites) are located 160 km north of Dodoma.