Cathédrale de l'Immaculée-Conception, Ouagadougou

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Ouagadougou is the seat of the Catholic archdiocese and one of the largest churches in West Africa. Built by missionaries in the 1930s from local laterite brick, its twin red towers and Romanesque form dominate the surrounding quarter. The warm red masonry gives the building a distinctive appearance suited to the Sahelian setting. It remains a spiritual centre for the country's substantial Catholic community and a notable work of colonial-era religious architecture in the capital.