Yamoussoukro

Photo © askgudmundsen

Travel Guide Africa Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro

Introduction

Yamoussoukro is the capital of Cote d'Ivoire and has a population of roughly 250,000 inhabitants. It is located in the south central part of the country, some 250 kilometers away of the Atlantic coastline and the largest city in the country, Abidjan. The city became the political and administrative capital of Côte d'Ivoire in 1983 and was the fourth capital in the country within one century. The others were Grand-Bassam (1893), Bingerville (1900) and Abidjan (1933). The latter still is the economic heart of Cote d'Ivoire.

Yamoussoukro is also home to one of the most extraordinary buildings in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, which claims to be the largest Christian place of worship on Earth, resembling St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Still, not many Christian travellers visit, as the country and the city continue to be unstable.

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Sights and Activities

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, also known as Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix de Yamoussoukro, is a Roman Catholic church in the capital in Yamoussoukro. After being completed in 1989, at a cost of over 300 million USD, it became the world's largest Christian place of worship. The Basilica has a greater surface area and higher dome then St. Peters in the Vatican City, although the church can only seat 18,000 people. This church is an amazing sight and well worth the visit.

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Weather

In centrally located Yamoussoukro, there is single rainy season from June to September and a long and hot dry season from October to April. The total amount of rain is much less compared to the southern and coastal zones. Temperatures during the hot season can reach 40 °C during the days, but aren't as high as more to the north. From December to February the hot, dry and dusty Harmattan wind blows over this area, causing problems sometimes in Yamoussoukro as well.

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