Yamoussoukro's spectacular basilica will leave you wide-eyed. Based on the Basilica of St Peter in the Vatican and designed by Lebanese architect Pierre Fakhoury, it was constructed between 1985 and 1989, with Italian marble and 7000 sq meters of French stained glass specially imported to build it. The nave is a luminous harmony of columns, with a flamboyant altar taking center stage. There are well-informed English-speaking guides on duty who will take you around the dome and the grounds.