Discover the Musanze Cave which was a refuge for the victims of the 1994 genocide (photos)

Since 2013, Musanze Cave in Rwanda has become a tourist attraction, attracting large numbers of foreign travelers and investors.

This giant cave, known as Musanze Cave, is located in the heart of the Volcanoes National Park in the north of the country, in the Musanze district.

Formed following volcanic activities almost 65 million years ago, the cave which is a tunnel approximately two kilometers long with 31 entrances is the most visited among the other caves studied in the Northern Province of Rwanda.

Decades ago, Musanze Cave served as a shelter for locals during wars, and more recently, it served as a hideout during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

At least 800,000 people, Tutsis and Hutus, were killed in 100 days by militias during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. More than two million refugees fled Rwanda, causing a humanitarian crisis.

Dozens of people, mainly from the victimized Tutsi community, reportedly hid under their beds, in secret places on the ceiling, in churches and other hiding places to escape the massacre.

Musanze Cave has served as a refuge for thousands of people, saving them from violence and terror. Years later, this cave has renewed the image of a country which is building a new identity 25 years after the genocide.

Since it was officially recognized as a tourist site, the Rwanda Development Board, the agency responsible for attracting investment to the country, and the country’s military have embarked on a major facelift; they have created footbridges, paths and tourist staircases, as well as paved floors to facilitate movement.

Photo credit: facetofaceafrica

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