Yamoussoukro

Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace rises over the savannah at sunset, seen down a tarmac avenue framed by an acacia branch.

Yamoussoukro is a calm, spacious capital where one president's grand ambitions left a giant basilica, wide boulevards and an easy stop between Abidjan and the north.

The place

Yamoussoukro is the political capital of Ivory Coast, yet it feels more like a provincial town laid out on a grand scale. About a third of a million people live here, around 214 m above sea level, among rolling hills and plains in an autonomous district rather than an ordinary region. Abidjan, the big coastal city, still handles much of the country's business and many government functions, so ministries and embassies mostly sit there. The result in Yamoussoukro is wide, quiet boulevards, roundabouts built for far more traffic than they carry, and long gaps between landmarks. Distances suit cars and motorbike taxis better than walking. The city lies north-west of Abidjan, joined to it by a good toll motorway, and the land around it is farmed: plantations, market gardens and fishponds. Heat is constant. The year divides into a long wet season from March to October and a shorter dry one, shaped by the harmattan, a dry Saharan wind that brings haze and cooler nights. Rain is lighter than on the coast. Daily life gathers around the bus station, where hawkers work the stopped vehicles, around a handful of markets, and along riverbank eateries. Local industry is modest, with fishing, forestry and perfume named as the main activities. Visitors should expect space, calm and a few extraordinary buildings rather than a dense old quarter. It suits people who enjoy unusual urban planning and want a slow stop on the road between the coast and the north.

Its story

Yamoussoukro's name holds much of its early history. The village was once called N'Gokro; it took the name of Queen Yamoussou, a niece of the chief Kouassi N'Go, with kro meaning town in Baoulé. Stone tools found across the country show that people have lived in this region for hundreds of thousands of years, and many groups drifted south as the Sahara dried. Under French rule the area saw tension. The Akoué rose against the administration, a nearby station was burned, and the French moved their military post to Yamoussoukro. They built a pyramid there in memory of Kouassi N'Go, who was killed by rebels angry that he stood too close to the French. For decades afterwards the place stayed a small farming town. Félix Houphouët-Boigny became leader of the village before the Second World War, and a few hundred people lived here at mid-century. Independence changed everything. As president, Houphouët-Boigny began building on a large scale, and one day in 1965 he toured the plantations with local leaders, a visit later remembered as the Great Lesson of Yamoussoukro, urging them to copy its farming successes in their own villages. He later gave his plantations to the state. In March 1983 he made his birthplace the political and administrative capital, the fourth capital of the country in about a century after Grand-Bassam, Bingerville and Abidjan.

What to see

Culture

Yamoussoukro sits in Baoulé country, and the town's name itself comes from the Baoulé language. The Baoulé are known across Ivory Coast for weaving, carving and gold-work, and their customs still shape funerals, naming ceremonies and village chieftaincy here. French is the common language of offices, schools and signs, while Baoulé is heard in markets and homes. Christianity, especially Catholicism, is strongly visible. The basilica and cathedral are the most obvious signs, but churches of many kinds fill the neighbourhoods, and Sunday morning is lively with services and finery. Football is the other shared passion, and conversation about the national team opens doors easily. Greetings matter. People expect a proper exchange, a handshake and questions about health and family, before any business such as bargaining or asking directions. The city's identity is also bound up with one man. Félix Houphouët-Boigny led the country at independence and made his birthplace the capital, so opinions about him run from deep affection to criticism of the money spent on grand projects. Listening is wiser than arguing. Daily rhythms are slow in the midday heat, and shops often pause or quieten between the hottest hours. Ask permission before photographing anyone, and do not photograph soldiers, police or government buildings, where guards may stop you.

What to wear

Traditional dress in Yamoussoukro follows Baoulé custom: wrapped cloths called pagnes, worn by women as skirts and shawls, and by men draped over the shoulder in the manner of a toga. Woven cotton cloth made in narrow strips and sewn together is prized for funerals, weddings, chieftaincy events and festivals, while factory wax-print cotton, bright with bold patterns, is the everyday fabric of choice. Gold jewellery and beads add finish for important occasions. Day to day, many people wear a mix. Women often have outfits tailored from pagne, with fitted tops and matching head wraps, and men wear shirts with trousers or a boubou, a loose gown, for church and celebrations. Jeans, football shirts and trainers are common among younger people, and smart dress matters for Sunday services. Tailors are everywhere and will make an outfit from a market length of cloth. Visitors should dress for heat and humidity: light cotton or linen, a hat and sunglasses, and sandals or closed shoes that cope with dust and wet roads. Shoulders and knees should be covered at the basilica and cathedral, and modest clothes help in markets and villages. In the wet season, carry a light rain jacket, and in the dry season, a scarf helps against harmattan dust.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. November to February, in the shorter dry season, when roads are easier and the heat is more bearable, though the harmattan can bring dusty haze. March to October is the long wet season, with lighter rain than on the coast.

How long. 1–2

Getting there. Fly to Abidjan, then take a bus, shared car or private car north-west to Yamoussoukro on the good toll motorway, which takes a couple of hours by car and somewhat longer by bus. There is no rail service to the city; the nearest station is at Dimbokro, east of Yamoussoukro. The road from Bouaké is rougher.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources