Yamoussoukro (called often wrongly Yamassoukro) town of 200  659 inhabitants, located at 240 kilometers in the north of Abidjan, is the administrative Capitale of the Ivory Coast (the economic capital being Abidjan).

Colonial history

In 1901, the queen Yamousso, niece of Kouassi Go, directed the village of Gokro at the time of the French Colonisation. The village counted 475 inhabitants then, and one counted in his neighborhoods 129 villages Akouè.

Diplomatic relations and commercial are thus established but, in 1909, with the call of the chief of Djamlabo, Akoué revolt against the colonial administration. The station of Bonzi, with seven kilometers of Yamoussoukro on the road of Bouaflé, is set fire to and the administrator Simon Maurice owes the life only with the intervention of Kouassi Go.

This one receives the administrator at his aunt Yamoussou, great-aunt of Felix Houphouët-Boigny, thereafter founder of the Republic of Ivory Coast, and persuades then the Akouè not to make a war which could have turned only to one disaster.

The normal become again situation, the administrator Simon Maurice, judging that Bonzi had become not very sure, decides to transfer the French military station to Gokro, renamed Yamoussoukro in homage to Yamousso, where the French administration built thereafter a pyramid with the memory of Kouassi Go, chief of Akoué.

In 1919, the civil station of Yamoussoukro was removed, then Felix Houphouët-Boigny became chief of village in 1939. One long period was passed where Yamoussoukro, small town turned towards agriculture, remained in the shade, until after war where she saw the creation of the African Agricultural trade union, and first conferences of its chief. But it is only starting from Independence that Yamoussoukro took its true rise.

The new capital of Coast-in Ivoire

See also: Transfer of the capital of the Ivory Coast

As of 1964, the president could show ambitious plans and make start to build. In 1965, took place one day, called later the Grande lesson of Yamoussoukro, where one made visit the plantations with the executives of the nation, with the guests, inviting them to transpose to the level from their own villages the efforts and agricultural achievements concluded up to now. And the July 21st 1977, Houphouët offered its plantations to the State.

In March 1983, Yamoussoukro became the political and administrative capital of the Ivory Coast, after, in one century, Large-Bassam (1893-1900), Bingerville (1900-1933) and Abidjan (1933-1983). The major part of the economic activities is always located at Abidjan, but current president Laurent Gbagbo decided to make effective the project to make of Yamoussoukro the political capital of the Ivory Coast, in spite of the events which currently paralyze (2002) the dynamism of the country.

Lastly, in 1993, Yamoussoukro was to accommodate the Funérailles of Felix Houphouët-Boigny, President-founder of the Republic of Ivory Coast.

Schools of Yamoussoukro: Regrouping of the more universities of West Africa

Institut National Polytechnique de Yamoussoukro (INP), founded in 1996.

The INP Felix Houphouët-Boigny is composed of several schools:

  • Higher National institute of Technical education, (INSET) founded in 1979

  • 3Ecole Nationale Sup3erieure of Public works (ENSTP)
  • 3Ecole Nationale Sup3erieure of Agronomy, (ENSA) founded in 1989
  • Center of Animation and Teacher training (CAFOP)

The INP-HB was the subject lasting of many years of a cooperative project fraonco-of the Ivory Coast, given up with the events of September 2002.

Center of Animation and Teacher training of Yamoussoukro (CAFOP), founded in 1979.

Scientific College of Yamoussoukro

It is about the first college of excellence of the Ivory Coast and this College competes with best the French schools. Up to 2000, the best students of this College, after their Vat, could profit from a stay in a preparatory school from abroad (France - for example: Saint Louis of Paris, Morocco, Japan,…). After these 2 years of Preparatory class, the obvious result of the studies consists of the Integration of a school of Engineer Scientifique or commercial. Among the schools where one can find former students of the College, one can quote INP Grenoble (ENSIMAG, ENSERG, ENSEEG, ENSGI, ENSIEG, PAPETE,…), Central School Paris, Central School of Lyon, ENST Telecom, ENSTA Paris, Polytechnic school (in the south of Paris), Polytechnic school of Lausanne, HEC and national colleges of business ESC (CO Sup).

College Granny Houphouet Adjoua de Yamoussoukro

Created in 1962, the College in the past called Lycée of Young girls was baptized since 1988 College Granny Houphouet Adjoua.

Monuments

Yamoussoukro shelters one of the greatest places of Christian worship, the Notre-Dame basilica of Peace equipped with 8000 m ² of stained glasses of which one represents the face of Felix Houphouët-Boigny, devoted by the pope Jean-Paul II the September 10th 1990. This Basilique was offered by the state of the Ivory Coast to the the Vatican which accepted it.

To note also Dam Kossou, Foundation Felix-Houphouët-Boigny, House of PDCI-RDA, various schools of Institute Polytechnic Felix-Houphouët-Boigny, International airport of Yamoussoukro (with an average of six hundred passengers and 36 flights in 1995, it is only African continent who could accommodate the Concorde), the Town hall of Yamoussoukro, a protesting temple, a mosque, and finally the Presidential palace and its lake with the crocodiles.

In the category of the commercial establishments, to retain the Hotel President, of which should be noted the quasi-official statute, being used for lodging of many personalities in visit.

Many of these buildings worsen, for lack of means to maintain them, but they have in the medium term to find their initial destination. The town of Yamoussoukro also comprises the Musée Adja Swa .

Administration

Chiefs of village of Yamoussoukro

  • Kouassi Go, Chief of Village, 1909-1910

  • Gbro Diby, Regent (Dia Houphouët being too young person to reign), 1910-1932
  • Augustin Houphouët-Boigny, Chief of Village (Due to the desistance from Dia Houphouët), 1932-1939
  • Felix Houphouët-Boigny, Chief of Village, 1939-1945
  • Yao Kouassi Simon, Chief of Village, 1978

The Mayor S of Yamoussoukro

A law of 1978 instituted 27 communes of full exercise on the territory of the country.

Évêché

Works, documents, bibliography

  • "Basilique" on Notre-Dame of Peace, by her architect, Pierre Fakhoury.
  • " Dedication of the Notre-Dame Basilica of Paix" , documentary on the Basilica, of many images of Its Holiness Jean-Paul II.

Gallery

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