St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan
| St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan Cathédrale Saint-Paul d'Abidjan |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. |
| Geographic coordinates | 5°19′58″N 4°01′12″W / 5.332778°N 4.02°WCoordinates: 5°19′58″N 4°01′12″W / 5.332778°N 4.02°W |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Province | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan. |
| Year consecrated | 1985 |
| Status | Active |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Aldo Spirito |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| Groundbreaking | May 11, 1980 |
| Completed | 1985 |
| Construction cost | US $11.7 million |
| Capacity | 5,000 (3,500 seating and 1,500 standing) |
St Paul's Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Paul d'Abidjan) is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the city of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The cathedral, which was designed by architect Aldo Spirito, serves as the mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan.
The first stone of the cathedral was consecrated on May 11, 1980 by Pope John Paul II during his first pastoral visit to Côte d'Ivoire. He further dedicated the building upon completion on August 10, 1985 during a second visit to the country to lay the foundation for the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (Yamoussoukro). The cost of implementing this modern architectural edifice, reputedly the second largest church on the African continent (as of 2002), and one of the largest cathedrals in the world, was estimated at $12 million. Architecturally, the cathedral is unique and modern, though built to meet the specific aspirations of the ethnic people of Côte d'Ivoire.
The striking external feature of the cathedral which attracts visitors at the entrance itself is the tall concrete structure which is shaped like an anthropomorphic giant. It is dominantly located on a hillock providing commanding views of the city of Abidjan, and overlooking the Bay of Cocody.
Planning for building the cathedral was allotted to Italian architect Aldo Spirito in 1980, under the directive of Félix Houphouët-Boigny, President of the Côte d'Ivoire. The architect designated for the design was Pope John Paul II, who blessed the foundation stone during his visit to Côte d'Ivoire in 1980. The construction was completed over a period of five years by a joint sector company of Sonitra and the Government of Ivory Coast in association with Sonitra, an Israeli firm. The cathedral was formally consecrated by the pope during his second visit to Abidjan in August 1985. It is the second largest cathedral in Africa.
...
Wikipedia