GRAND-BASSAM CATHOLIC COMPLEX

The Catholic complex at Grand-Bassam (Sacré-Coeur cathedral, presbytery, bishop's palace) was built on a narrow plot of land granted to the Catholic mission by the governor, but advantageously protected from the sea breeze by other buildings. In 1896, the mission's superior spent a few months building a humble wooden chapel and a Fathers' house, both of modest dimensions (20 m long by some 7 m wide). Both buildings were deliberately destroyed by fire in 1899 to combat yellow fever. In October 1909, thanks to successful subscriptions in the town and donations from France, a new church was built, soon followed by a presbytery. The church was built in brick, either exposed or coated with lime mortar, with the exception of the semi-circular vault in the central nave and the flat ceilings of the church's two side naves, which are made of wood. The church, now known as the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, was officially opened for worship on Easter Sunday, March 27, 1910. The three arcades of the presbytery wall meet those of the cathedral across the street, creating one of the most harmonious and well-preserved architectural ensembles in the historic city. Once a police station before being converted into teachers' housing, the building now houses the offices of the Bishop of Grand-Bassam.