Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace | Ivory Coast Travel

If you are lucky enough to be in Ivory Coast, we recommend you to visit Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro. The Basilica is the largest Catholic religious building in the world and is the most visited attraction. It is located in Yamoussoukro in the political and administrative capital of Côte d’Ivoire.

It is built on 130 hectares according to the plans of the architects Pierre Fakhoury (Lebanese-Ivorian) and Patrick d’Hauthuile (French). President Felix Houphouet-Boigny. Fervent Catholic, wanted to thank God with the construction of this place of worship.

This building has 8,400 m2 of stained glass windows, one of which represents the face of Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Its appearance is reminiscent of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, but it exceeds the original by 17 m and rises 158 m above the surrounding vegetation. The forecourt is accessed by a marble walkway that crosses 37 hectares of French gardens. Inside, there are 36 magnificent huge stained glass windows. The floor is also covered with marble imported from Italy, Spain and Portugal. The visitor is welcomed by French style gardens, inspired by the gardens of Versailles. These verdant spaces can be reached by perpendicular alleys, adorned with thousands of shrubs and flowers.

In 1989, it was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest Christian religious building in the world with 150 m wide against 115 m for St. Peter’s Basilica. It can accommodate 200,000 people, including 7,000 inside and 150,000 on the esplanade.

Rates of visits to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace Yamoussoukro.

• Visiting days: Monday to Saturday from 8h to 17h (Entrance is not free)

• Sunday and days of great celebrations: free admission after mass.

• Offices in the morning and late afternoon in the Marian chapel, behind the great altar

• Mass anticipated from Sunday to Saturday at 18h.  Mass on Sunday at 10:30, broadcast from the synoptic and often concelebrated by several priests, European and African: Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin.

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