The Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix in Yamoussoukro, officially the capital of the poverty-stricken West African country, is 158 metres taller than St Peter's Basilica and has 7,400 square metres of stained glass windows.
It is said that 400,000 trees, hedges, shrubs and flowers have been planted on the huge grounds surrounding the building. The gardens of Versailles were - of course - the model.
Naturally, such a building had to be duly inaugurated. Pope John Paul II himself did this on 10 September 1990.
But since then, the basilica - the Lebanese architect Pierre Fakhoury modelled it heavily on St. Peter's Basilica - has made headlines mainly because Catholics in Yamoussoukro hardly identify with it, even more than 34 years later.
Its construction was a monument to the first president, Felix Houphouet-Boigny (1905-1993) - the Ivory Coast became independent from France in 1960. He has a place of honour in the basilica.
Right in the front row in front of the altar, a plaque commemorates the founder of the church. He also ensured that his home town of Yamoussoukro became the capital in 1983.
However, Abidjan remains the vibrant and expensive economic and cultural centre.
In Yamoussoukro, however, Houphouet-Boigny also wanted to make a personal gift to the Vatican with the magnificent church building. It took just over three years to build the church, which was completed in September 1989. And the president had to wait another year before the Pope came to inaugurate it.
The lavish and extravagant building stands in stark contrast to its surroundings: the Ivory Coast is the largest economy in Francophone West Africa and attracts labour migrants from all over the region.
Nevertheless, around 40 per cent of the approximately 29 million inhabitants live below the poverty line; the number is only falling slowly; not even one in five Ivorians is Catholic.
Only full on consecration day
For a long time, it was said that the basilica, which has seating for 7,000 and standing room for 11,000, was only full once: 34 years ago, on the day of its consecration. According to Ivorian media reports, however, it attracts pilgrims from all over the region instead.
On regular days, however, the number of visitors is manageable. Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix is not a cathedral, i.e. not an episcopal church. A brochure about the building states that between 700 and 1,000 people visit every day.
Ivorians pay the equivalent of 1.50 euros to enter, foreigners pay twice as much. This can also be read on the homepage.
However, there is one thing you won't find there: information about church services.
Guided tours are offered, however.
Among other things, guests are shown a special room below the altar.
The air conditioning settings are controlled from there - an absolute exception in a West African church.
Staff also provide the right sound during the mass with a large mixing desk.
The music is canned. There is no cheerful and vocalised singing, which is otherwise so typical of African church services.
The showpiece is the huge dome, which can be reached by two lifts.
Photos at the entrance to the dome document the construction phase.
A drawing can also be seen there.
It documents that the basilica is even higher than St Peter's Basilica in Rome - if you include the cross on the dome.
Higher, bigger, wider: the basilica of Yamoussoukro is designed to impress and inspire awe.
Pointing the finger towards Europe
When President Houphouet-Boigny, who was in power for 33 years, had the church built, it had another function.
It was intended as a sign to the West: What Europe can do, we can do too.
Today it looks more like a foreign body.
The construction, which cost an estimated 300 million US dollars, was financed primarily from the state coffers, although the president has repeatedly claimed that he paid for it all from his own personal funds.
After completion, Houphouet-Boigny was therefore ordered to build a hospital right next door as compensation.
It took almost a quarter of a century before it was finally opened on 14 January 2015 - much longer than the giant church.