The square at the centre of Dodoma is named for Julius Nyerere, the founding president whose decision in 1973 to move the capital here from Dar es Salaam shaped the modern city. It is an unfussy place — a paved open area with a few trees, a flagpole, and a statue — but it serves as Dodoma's ceremonial heart on national holidays.
Around the square are some of the older institutional buildings of the city: the post office, the regional administration, and a clutch of small banks and shops. It's the obvious place to start a walking tour, with the cathedrals, the railway station, and the central market all within easy walking distance.