The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro is a Roman Catholic church located in the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). The basilica was constructed between 1985 and 1989 at a cost of $600 million (adjusted for inflation). Upon its completion it was declared as the largest church in the world, surpassing the previous record holder, St. Peter’s Basilica. It has an area of 322,917 square feet and is 518 feet high (roughly the height of a 40 story skyscraper). 

The basilica is constructed with marble imported from Italy and is furnished with 75,000 square feet of contemporary stained glass from France. Columns are plentiful throughout the basilica but are not uniform in style; the smaller columns are there for structural reasons, while the bigger ones are decoration and contain elevators and pipes for rainwater. There is enough space to seat 7,000 people inside the dome, with standing room for an additional 11,000 people. Apart from the basilica there are two identical buildings, serving as a rectory and private papal villa, respectively. The villa is reserved for papal visits, of which only one has occurred: when the basilica was consecrated  by Pope John Paul II on September 10, 1990.

Rather than place the monument in the country’s metropolitan center, Abidijan, Côte d'Ivoire President Félix Houphouët-Boigny chose his birthplace of Yamoussoukro to be the site of the church. As construction was nearly completed, the president commissioned a stained glass window of his image to be placed beside a gallery of stained glass of Jesus and the apostles. This image depicts him as one of the three Biblical Magi, kneeling as he offers a gift to Jesus.

The basilica has been met with global controversy since its conception. The lavishly built basilica sits in the middle of the African bush in an impoverished town where only a small number of homes have running water and adequate sanitation. The cost of the basilica doubled the national debt of Côte d'Ivoire, which overtime, would lead the country down a path toward political violence and social unrest.