Designed to be a close copy of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, it is the largest basilica in the world. The dome is the largest in the world at 138m high, 2 meters taller than St Peter’s. On top is a 28m tall golden globe lantern bringing its total height to 160m. The globe weighs 320 tons and required 12 hydraulic engines seventeen hours to raise it to the top of the dome.
This was built supposedly using President Houphouët-Boigny’s own money – he owned large cacao plantations and he donated the 150 hectares of land, once a coconut plantation. The cost is unknown but was built to thank God and show his belief in peace in his country. It was designed by the Lebanese/Cote d’Ivoire architect Pierre Fakhoury and construction took 4500 men working 24/7 from 1986-1989. It was consecrated by Pope Jean Paul II in 1990.
It sits on the northern edge of Yamoussoukro, well separated from the city itself and sits on 37 hectares. The gardens are modelled after Versailles with grass (brown) and elaborate hedges surrounded by a wrought iron fence. It is 1 kilometre from the gate to the front of the basilica, all paved with marble. In all there are 7 hectares of marble forming the road and floor of the basilica. The marble came from 3 countries. All the columns are built of concrete made from locally accessed material. All the rainwater falling on the marble floor is collected and piped to the crocodile infested lakes in front of the Presidential Palace.
The basilica has three major parts:
St Peter’s Square. The four hectare square is able to hold 150,000 people and is formed by two huge arms welcoming worshippers. The arms are formed by 128 huge columns holding up a roof with four domes representing the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In the center of the square is a large marble dove designed into the floor. The right arm has the 14 Ways of the Cross.
The Lobby. Designed as a huge cross that surrounds the sanctuary, it can accommodate 30,000 people. 84 columns support a panoramic walkway that sits 42m above the floor of the structure. A Christmas tree backs an intricately wood carved Nativity Scene on the far end.
The Sanctuary. This huge circular structure is centered under the dome and has seating for 20,000 worshippers.
A 38m high balcony surrounds the sanctuary. It is supported by 48 smaller columns with Doric capitals and 12 large columns with Ionic capitals and is accessed by stairs with 196 steps and an elevator (takes 27 seconds to ascend the 11 stories) built into two of the large columns. The dome rises 82 meters above the balcony.
The dome is formed by decreasing blue concentric walls topped by a 40m-diameter skylight composed of stained glass with a dove with a 7m wingspan. A second balcony circles the bottom of sky light (not accessible by the public).
There is 7,400 square meters of stained glass in the sanctuary, the largest area of stained glass in the world. Made in Bordeaux, France, the 24 main windows tell bible stories and are all magnificent creations. The second level balcony has 12 large stained glass windows for the 12 apostles.
The pews are made of Kotibe wood from Cote d’Ivoire. The backs of the pews contain built in vents supplying air conditioning to the centre of the sanctuary. A plaque marks the president’s seat in the front row of pews. Each seat has a red cushion constructed of covered fibreglass used to absorb sound for the acoustics.
The centre of the sanctuary is supported by 4 huge 28m twisted columns made of brass and silver. Each column has 14 speakers make redundant by the perfect acoustics of the structure. In the centre hangs a 50kg gold-plated cross under a cut glass chandelier made in Morano, Italy. The balcony has 456-1000 watt light projectors that project into the dome and reflect down onto the lapis lazuli altar of the sanctuary.
There are two chapels in the sanctuary. The Mary Chapel contains a marble statue, a replica of the Michelangelo statue in St Peter’s but has a raised right arm and holds the baby Jesus in its left arm (opposite to St Peter’s in respect to African culture). Mass is held here on March 19 and May 1, World wide Workers Day.
The Joseph Chapel has a 860kg white marble statue.
Other statues in the sanctuary include a wood African Mary carved by a Muslim man who was in jail at the time and had never carved anything before. Looking at from underneath, the face is sad, but from a distance, it shows Mary smiling. The other wood statue is of Jean Paul II who was canonized in 2013. He visited the Basilica three times. There are 12 confessional boxes. Offerings are placed in boxes topped with lighted candles that “light” when money is inserted.
Under the centre is an Adoration altar where the blessed sacrament of bread and wine is prepared for Holy Communion.
A baptismal font sits on the outside right of the sanctuary. It contains an inlaid dove.
The sanctuary is entered via 24 doors between each huge stained glass window and each fronted by huge circular air conditioning vents that blow air upwards forming an air curtain to keep the cold, air-conditioned air coming from the back of the pews inside.
Services are held on Sundays at 10am and are usually attended by about 400 worshippers. Baptisms and Anniversaries are also held here but not weddings.
The entrance fee is 2000 CFA (about 3€). No dogs, cats, horses, exposed abdomens, shorts, open-toed shoes (we all entered wearing flip-flops or sandals), pipes, cigarettes, cigars, machetes or fighting are allowed.
A large building to the west of the basilica is a residence for the pope when he visits.