Attractions
Yamoussoukro is home to what is claimed to be tallest Christian place of worship on Earth: The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro. It is the largest Christian church in Africa. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro is also known as Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix de Yamoussoukro. The basilica was constructed between 1985 and 1989 for a cost of USD $300 million and intentionally modelled after the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome. The cornerstone was laid on August 10, 1985 and was consecrated on September 10, 1990 by Pope John Paul II.
As part of the plan of the city, President Felix wanted to memorialise himself with the construction of what he called the greatest church in the world and personally financed the basilica project. As construction was nearly completed, he commissioned a stained glass window of his image to be placed beside a gallery of stained glass of Jesus and the apostles. He sought to portray himself as a thirteenth apostle!
Contrary to popular belief, this particular basilica is not a cathedral church. The nearby Cathedral of Saint Augustin is the principal place of worship and seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Yamoussoukro. The Basilica was built as a memorial to Côte d'Ivoire President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the principal planner of the project. While designed after the principal church of Catholicism, architect Pierre Fakhoury constructed the dome to be slightly lower than the Basilica of Saint Peter but is ornamented with a larger cross on top. The finished height is 158 meters (518 feet). It is constructed with Italian marble and is furnished with 7000 square meters of contemporary stained glass from France. It has a capacity to seat 7,000 people in the nave with standing room for an additional 11,000 people.
As a condition of his attendance of the consecration, Pope John Paul II insisted that a hospital be constructed nearby. The Pope laid the founding stone for the hospital. The stone can be seen where he laid it as a lonely symbol in the middle of a nearby field. The hospital has yet to be built.
Other attractions in Yamoussoukro are the Kossou Dam, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation, the PDCI-GDR House, the various schools of the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny-Boigny Polytechnic Institute, the Town Hall, the Protestant Temple, the Mosque, the Palace of Hosts and the international airport. The airport which handles an over six hundred passengers and 36, is only airport in Africa which can accommodate the Concorde.
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| IVORY
COAST (COTE D’IVOIRE)
Capital: Yamoussoukro
Area: 322,000km²
Population: 15,446,000
Time: GMT
Currency :CFA Franc
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz
Language: French, plus many African languages
Religion: Muslim, Christian, and others
Telephone: IDD+Country 00 225
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