Towers over the lagoon
Glittering at night.
Edison McCullen — CC BY 4.0 · Citizen59 — CC BY 3.0 · Kod B — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gillian Zouzoukov — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kod B — CC BY-SA 4.0
Le Plateau is the central business district of Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, and one of the city's ten communes. It sits on high ground above the Ébrié Lagoon and holds the head offices of most large firms, banks and many government bodies. Some call it «Little Paris» or «Little Manhattan» for the towers that rise over the water. It grew fast after the railway district was built for the terminus of the Abidjan to Niger line, and became the country's administrative, commercial and financial centre. It is a model of 1960s and 1970s town planning, with architecture ranging from modernism to functionalism. The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium and St Paul's Cathedral are here too. From the bridges to the south you see a row of glass and concrete towers above the lagoon, glittering with lights at night. The streets hold tall office blocks, palm trees and a lively market. From high buildings the view runs over the roofs to the water. At dusk thousands of bats fly out over the lagoon. St Paul's Cathedral is about 400 metres away in a straight line, and Banco National Park about 8 km. The finest view of the district is from the bridges or the far shore at night. It is busy on weekdays and quiet at weekends. Do not photograph government buildings.
Glittering at night.
At dusk.
Offices and palms.
Central Abidjan on the Ébrié Lagoon, Côte d'Ivoire
From the southern bridges or the far shore at night.
Weekdays for bustle, weekends for calm.
