The spires
Twin points over the front.
Kulttuurinavigaattori — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Yawovit — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Yawovit — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Yawovit — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Lomé and one of the best-known buildings in Togo's capital. It stands in the city centre right beside the Grand Market, about 230 metres in a straight line from its entrance and about 1.4 km from the Independence Monument. The first Catholic missionaries reached Lomé in 1892 and built a small chapel that their congregation soon outgrew. The present cathedral was built in just over a year, between April 1901 and September 1902, under German colonial rule, by Togolese apprentice carpenters and masons, and was consecrated on 21 September 1902. It became an archdiocese seat in 1955. The Gothic Revival front is crowned by two matching spires and striped in white and red, with a round rose window above the main door. Tall arched windows line its sides, a paved square surrounds it, and its towers rise above the busy market all around. The cathedral is a working church, so dress modestly and avoid walking around during Mass. The area around it is crowded with traders and motorbikes, so keep your belongings close.
Twin points over the front.
A circle above the door.
On white walls.
Central Lomé, beside the Grand Market, Togo
Lomé Grand MarketLomé Grand Market is a large market in the heart of Togo's capital, at the foot 3 minutes walk
Seafront BeachThe Seafront Beach is a long strip of sand on the Atlantic that runs along the s15 minutes walk
Independence MonumentThe Independence Monument stands in central Lomé, the capital of Togo, built to 17 minutes walkBetween April 1901 and September 1902.
The Grand Market, right next door.