Basilica of Our Lady of Peace

While designing it after the Vatican basilica, the Lebanese architect Pierre Fakhoury constructed the dome to be slightly lower than the Basilica of Saint Peter, but topped with a larger cross.^[15][16][17] The finished height is 158 metres (518 ft).^[17] The dome is more than twice the diameter of St. Peter's in Rome, 90 metres (300 ft) versus 41 metres (135 ft). The base of the dome is much lower than Saint Peter's, so the overall height is slightly less. The basilica is constructed with marble imported from Italy and is furnished with 8,400 square metres (90,000 sq ft) of contemporary stained glass from France.^[18] France Vitrail International near Paris handmade the stained glass for the Basilica which was the largest such order ever placed and comprised 8,400 square metres (90,000 sq ft) of material assembled in 18,500 panels.^[19]

Columns are plentiful throughout the basilica but are not uniform in style; the smaller columns are structural, while the larger ones are decorative and contain elevators, rainwater conduits from the roof and other building mechanical devices. The nave contains enough space to seat 7,000 people, with standing room for an additional 11,000 people.^[20] Apart from the basilica are two identical villas. One of the villas accommodates the clergy who operate the basilica. A room in the other villa is reserved for papal visits, of which only one has occurred, when the basilica was consecrated.^[21]

The wood chosen for the pews in the Basilica was iroko wood.^[22]

The basilica was built by the French company Dumez.^[23]

The cost of the basilica was met with some controversy globally when construction began, especially as the Côte d'Ivoire was going through an economic and fiscal crisis at the time.^[24] Pope John Paul II agreed to consecrate the basilica on the condition that a hospital also be built nearby. This hospital, whose construction was frozen during the politico-military crisis from 2002 to 2011, was finally completed in 2014 and opened in January 2015, at a cost of €21.3 million.^[25]

Côte d'Ivoire President Houphouët-Boigny chose his birthplace of Yamoussoukro to be the site of the new capital city of his country in 1983. As part of the plan of the city, the president wanted to memorialize himself with the construction of the basilica.^[26] Houphouët-Boigny is even pictured kneeling beside Jesus at his triumphal entry into Jerusalem in one stained glass panel.^[27][28][29] Due to the location of the Basilica, it was dubbed by the media as "basilica in the bush".^[30] Houphouët-Boigny believed it would become a pilgrimage site for African Catholics.^[31]

• List of largest church buildings
• List of tallest church buildings
• List of tallest domes

• Pope John Paul II (10 September 1990). "Dédicace de La Basilique de "Notre-Dame de La Paix"". Holy See (in French). Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
• Elleh, Nnamdi (2002). Architecture and Power in Africa. New York: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-97679-3.
• Fakhoury, Pierre; Yann Arthus Bertrand; Fernand Quino (1993). Yann Arthus (ed.). La basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix, Yamoussoukro (in French). Liège. ISBN 978-2-8700-9439-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Fakhoury, Pierre; Bentot; Eric (1990). "Notre-Dame de la paix: l'architecture universelle". Balafon (in French). 94. Abidjan: Air Afrique: 18–25. ISSN 0378-469X. OCLC 70223073.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro.

• Basilica of Our Lady of Peace photos 2008 – an album of the Basilique images. Outside and inside views.
• "La Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix de Yamoussoukro" (in French). 2002. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2009.