Colonial Architecture & Historic Buildings Zimbabwe’s colonial period (1890-1980) left a significant architectural legacy across the country. From the grand public buildings of Harare and Bulawayo to remote mission stations and mining towns, these structures tell the story of the colonial era and its impact on Zimbabwe.
Context Matters - Colonial architecture represents a complex heritage. These buildings were often built using forced labor and served systems of racial oppression. Understanding this context enriches rather than diminishes their historical significance.
Harare (Salisbury) Grand Public Buildings Building Year Style Current Use Parliament 1899 Neo-classical Parliament of Zimbabwe High Court 1938 Classical High Court Town House 1933 Art Deco City Council Reserve Bank Various Classical/Modern Central Bank National Gallery 1957 Modern Art museum
Parliament Building One of Harare’s most significant colonial structures:
Features:
Neo-classical design
Grand portico and columns
Still houses Parliament
Central Harare location
History:
Built 1899
Originally Legislative Council
Expanded over time
Symbol of governance
Historic Hotels Hotel Founded Style Status Meikles 1915 Grand Hotel Operating Holiday Inn (Jameson) 1935 Art Deco Operating Monomotapa 1930s Colonial Operating
Meikles Hotel:
Harare’s grand dame, representing colonial-era luxury:
Named after the Meikle brothers (merchants)
Central location on Africa Unity Square
Historic interiors preserved
Afternoon tea tradition continues
Churches and Cathedrals Church Denomination Year Location Anglican Cathedral Anglican 1913 Central Harare Roman Catholic Cathedral Catholic 1914 Harare Dutch Reformed Church DRC 1906 Harare
Africa Unity Square (Cecil Square) The heart of colonial Harare:
Laid out in 1890 by Pioneer Column
Originally named Cecil Square after Cecil Rhodes
Renamed Africa Unity Square at independence
Surrounded by historic buildings
Flower sellers, fountains, public space
Bulawayo Bulawayo preserves more colonial architecture than any other Zimbabwean city, partly because development pressures have been lower.
Art Deco Heritage Bulawayo has one of the finest collections of Art Deco architecture in southern Africa:
Notable Buildings:
City Hall (1940) - Impressive Art Deco public buildingHigh Court (1938) - Classical with Art Deco elementsHaddon & Sly Building - Commercial Art DecoVarious shops on Main Street - Period shopfronts
Railway Heritage The railway was central to Bulawayo’s development:
Railway Station:
Built 1901
One of the finest colonial stations in Africa
Still operational
Clock tower landmark
Railway Museum:
Historic locomotives
Cecil Rhodes’ private coach
Railway history displays
Engineering heritage
Historic Hotels Hotel Period Notes Bulawayo Club 1890s Private club, historic Holiday Inn Colonial Historic building Nesbitt Castle 1920s Castle-style building
Industrial Heritage
Century Building - Early commercialDuly’s Building - Period architectureOld Mutual Building - Insurance company HQVarious banks - Colonial financial architecture
Other Towns Masvingo (Fort Victoria) The oldest colonial settlement in Zimbabwe:
Historic Features:
Chapel Street - Historic commercial streetOriginal fort location - Pioneer Column siteColonial-era courthouse - Still standingHistoric cemetery - Pioneer graves
Gweru (Gwelo) Midlands commercial center:
Colonial main street - Period shopfrontsRailway buildings - Important junctionMilitary heritage - Colonial military base
Mutare (Umtali) Eastern gateway city:
Main Street - Colonial-era commercialMutare Museum - Regional historyChurches - Mission heritageCecil Kop - Named viewing point
Victoria Falls Town Tourism created unique architecture:
Victoria Falls Hotel (1904) - Colonial grand hotelRailway Station - Historic terminusBridge - Engineering landmark
The Victoria Falls Hotel Zimbabwe’s most famous colonial hotel:
History:
Opened 1904
Built to serve railway travelers
Edwardian grandeur
Royal and celebrity guests
Features:
Views to the bridge
Manicured gardens
Colonial-era interiors
Afternoon tea tradition
Museum of hotel history
Today:
Still operating as luxury hotel
Preserved historic character
Popular for weddings
Heritage tourism draw
Mission Stations Mission stations represent another strand of colonial-era building:
Architectural Features
Churches - Various styles from simple to grandSchools - Educational buildingsHospitals - Medical facilitiesResidences - Missionary housingCemeteries - Historic graves
Notable Missions Mission Founded Denomination Architecture Inyati 1859 LMS Oldest church building Morgenster 1891 Dutch Reformed Near Great Zimbabwe Mt Selinda 1893 UCCSA Eastern Highlands Waddilove 1892 Methodist Historic school Kutama 1914 Catholic Mission complex
Inyati Mission The oldest church building in Zimbabwe:
Founded by London Missionary Society
Robert Moffat connection
Historic cemetery
Still active
Can be visited
Railway Architecture Stations Station Features Status Bulawayo Grand colonial Operating Harare Large terminus Operating Victoria Falls Tourist terminus Operating Masvingo Regional Operating Gweru Junction Operating
The Victoria Falls Bridge Engineering landmark opened 1905:
Features:
Single-arch span
128 meters long
128 meters above gorge
Rhodes’ vision realized
Bungee jumping site today
History:
Part of “Cape to Cairo” railway dream
Built in England, assembled on site
Engineering achievement of its era
Cross-border connection
Mining Town Architecture Mining created distinctive towns:
Kwekwe (Que Que) Gold mining heritage:
Globe and Phoenix Mine - Historic gold mineMining-era buildings - Period architectureWorkers’ housing - Social history
Hwange (Wankie) Coal mining town:
Colliery buildings - Industrial heritageRailway connections - Coal transportCompany town layout - Planned community
Shurugwi (Selukwe) Chrome mining area:
Mining-era structures Commercial buildings Railway heritage
Farmhouse Architecture Colonial-era farms featured distinctive buildings:
Types:
Homesteads - Often grand housesTobacco barns - Agricultural industrialWorkers’ compounds - Labor housingFarm stores - Rural commercial
Note: Many farms are now resettled and building status varies.Visiting Colonial Architecture Self-Guided Walks Harare Walking Tour:
Start at Africa Unity Square
Walk past Parliament, Town House
Continue to Meikles Hotel
See National Gallery
End at Anglican Cathedral
Bulawayo Walking Tour:
Start at Railway Station
Walk Main Street (Art Deco)
Pass City Hall
See Natural History Museum
End at Centenary Park
Guided Options
Some hotels offer historic tours
Walking tour companies in Harare
Railway Museum in Bulawayo offers context
National Museums and Monuments
Photography Tips
Best light early morning or late afternoon
Art Deco details reward close attention
Include context (street scenes)
Some buildings may restrict photography
Ask permission for interiors
Conservation Status Category Status Major public buildings Generally maintained Historic hotels Operating, preserved Commercial buildings Variable Mission stations Active, mostly maintained Railway structures Functional preservation Private buildings Often neglected
Challenges:
Limited conservation funding
Economic pressures
Ambivalent heritage status
Development pressure in cities
Maintenance backlogs
Understanding the Heritage Multiple Perspectives Colonial architecture can be viewed from many angles:
As History:
Documents the colonial period
Shows aspirations and realities
Preserves craftsmanship
As Critique:
Built on dispossession
Served segregated society
Represents oppressive era
As Resource:
Tourism asset
Functional buildings
Architectural education
As Identity:
Complex relationship to present
Neither celebrated nor erased
Part of national story
Complex Heritage Colonial buildings are neither heroes nor villains - they’re historical documents in stone. The grand hotels and railway stations tell stories of privilege and aspiration, while the workers’ compounds nearby tell different stories entirely. Understanding both makes for richer visits.
Zimbabwe’s colonial period (1890-1980) left a significant architectural legacy across the country. From the grand public buildings of Harare and Bulawayo to remote mission stations and mining towns, these structures tell the story of the colonial era and its impact on Zimbabwe.
One of Harare’s most significant colonial structures:
Features:
Bulawayo has one of the finest collections of Art Deco architecture in southern Africa:
Notable Buildings:
Zimbabwe’s most famous colonial hotel:
History:
Engineering landmark opened 1905:
Features: