The political capital, and the site of one of the largest churches in the world.
Yamoussoukro was Félix Houphouët-Boigny's home village. When he became the country's first president he transferred the capital here in 1983 and built at a scale the town has never grown into: eight-lane boulevards that carry little traffic, vast institutional buildings, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.
The result is disconcerting and worth seeing precisely for that. It is a monumental capital in a town of modest size, and it says a great deal about a particular moment in the country's history. Three hours from Abidjan on the motorway, it works as a long day trip or as a stop on the way north.
Consecrated by John Paul II in 1990 and among the largest churches in the world, with a dome inspired by Saint Peter's in Rome and stained glass covering thousands of square metres. Whatever you make of the project, the building itself is extraordinary.
You don't go inside, but the lake around it holds crocodiles that have become part of the town's folklore. Feeding time draws a small crowd.
A conference centre and institution dedicated to peace research, and another piece of the same monumental ensemble.
Capital of the north, heart of Senufo country, and home of the painted cloth that became an emblem of the country.
ExploreThe city of eighteen mountains: mask country, waterfalls and liana bridges.
ExploreThe economic capital and the point of arrival — a lagoon city of five million people.
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