Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Pierre Fakhoury · Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire · 1989
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is one of the world’s largest church complexes and a defining landmark of Yamoussoukro. Pierre Fakhoury combined a vast domed sanctuary, encircling colonnades and extensive stained glass within a highly symmetrical ceremonial composition inspired in part by St. Peter’s Basilica. The structure is set within an enormous landscaped precinct that amplifies its scale and isolation. Completed in the late 1980s, the basilica is an exceptional example of post-independence monumental architecture used to project state and religious ambition.