COTONOU,  BENIN - CIRCA NOVEMBER 2010  : View of COTONOU CATHEDRAL.; Shutterstock ID 1115889482; full: digital; gl: 65050; netsuite: poi; your: Barbara Di Castro
1115889482

Shutterstock / StreetVJ

Cathedral de Notre Dame


With its vibrant red and white stripes, this Catholic cathedral is not just a place of worship but also home to a small bookshop selling titles by regional writers as well as a handful of academic texts. The stripes continue into the inside with sandstone and cream-coloured arches. Beyond its pretty stripes, it's a quiet and cool escape from the bustle of the city.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Mosque

0.89 MILES

This mosque's two white towers stand out in this city of low-lying structures. It's an interesting place to pause for a few moments for a spot of people…

2. Eglise St Michel

1.08 MILES

This pastel pink and green Catholic church is a simple affair, but notable for its exterior (it looks a bit like a pink gingerbread house). The interior…

3. Grand Marché de Dantokpa

1.13 MILES

The seemingly endless Grand Marché du Dantokpa is Cotonou's throbbing heart, bordered by the lagoon and Blvd St Michel. Everything under the sun can be…

4. Fetish Market

1.2 MILES

This market sells anything associated with Vodou, including varieties of tree barks and dried plants (both used in traditional medicine) and stalwarts…

6. Fondation Zinsou

2.55 MILES

Named after the family that started it, this fantastic exhibition space seeks to promote contemporary African art among Beninese people through…

7. Fidjirossé Beach

3.08 MILES

This pretty stretch of sand is a lovely place to embrace local culture and cool off. It's a favorite spot for Beninese to retreat to with families and is…

8. Ganvie Stilt Village

8.05 MILES

This stilt village, located in the lagoon of Lake Nokoue, was created for the Tofinu people to stay safe from slave hunters. It has become part of their…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "benin/cotonou/attractions/cathedral-de-notre-dame/a/poi-sig/1328807/355091",
      "position": "superzone"
    }