Yamoussoukro, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, is maybe the strangest contemporary city on the planet. It consists of a vast grid of paved roadways and lights with practically little space in between. Former President Felix Houphouet-vision Boigny’s of his hometown being a bustling capital city seems to have never materialized. Despite this, “Yam” is well worth a visit.

The district has 355,573 residents according to the provisional census of 2014. The municipality comprises 3,500 square kilometers and is located 240 kilometers (150 miles) north-west of Abidjan, the administrative capital on the coast, over undulating hills and plains (1,400 sq mi).

Yamoussoukro has a tropical climate with both rainy and dry seasons.

Yamoussoukro is home to the world’s biggest Christian church, according to legend. On September 10, 1990, Pope John Paul II dedicated the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.