Holiday in Yamoussoukro

About Yamoussoukro

Yamoussoukro is the official capital of Côte d'Ivoire — although Abidjan is the actual metropolis of the country. The small city with 300,000 inhabitants is home to one of the most astonishing buildings in Africa: the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, the largest church in the world. The basilica, inaugurated in 1989, is a nearly scale replica of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome — just slightly larger. It accommodates 7,000 seats (18,000 standing places), has 7,000 m² of stained glass windows, and was financed out of pocket (officially) by the then-president Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The basilica stands surreal in the midst of a small African city and attracts thousands of visitors each year despite local skepticism. Houphouët-Boigny's legacy shapes the entire city: The Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Institute, the presidential palace (surrounded by a moat with real crocodiles), and the wide, almost empty boulevards tell the story of a man's vision who made his hometown the capital. Yamoussoukro also has natural attractions: The crocodiles in the moat of the presidential palace are regularly fed (visitors can watch), and the nearby Lac aux Caïmans is home to more crocodile populations. The surroundings offer tropical vegetation and insights into the Baoulé culture of the region.