Cotonou Cathedral

{{Short description|Catholic Latin Church cathedral in Benin}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox church | name = Our Lady of Mercy | full_name = Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy | other_name = Cotonou Cathedral | native_name = {{lang|fr|Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde}} | native_name_lang = fr | image = Cotonoucathedral.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | coordinates = {{coord|6.357282|2.440073|region:BJ_type:landmark|display=title,inline}} | location = Cotonou | country = Benin | denomination = Catholic | sui_iuris_church = Latin Church | tradition = Roman Rite | address = | website = {{Official URL}} | status = Cathedral | functional_status = Active | founded =  | founder = | dedication = {{lang|fr|Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde}} (Our Lady of Mercy) | dedicated = | consecrated = | architect = | architectural_type = | style = | years_built = | groundbreaking = 1912<ref name="cathedralhistory"/> | completed = | construction_cost = | closed = | demolished = | capacity = | length =  | width =  | height =  | parish = | archdiocese = Cotonou | pastor = Antoine Metin }} The cathedral of '''Notre Dame de Miséricorde''', commonly known as '''Cotonou Cathedral''', is a Catholic cathedral located near the Ancien Pont bridge in Cotonou, Benin. It is renowned for its distinctive burgundy and white striped tiled architecture.<ref name="travelobenin">{{Cite web |title=The Cathedral Of Notre Dame Of Miséricorde {{!}} Book The Cathedral Of Notre Dame Of Miséricorde Tour Packages - Travelobenin |url=https://www.travelobenin.com/places-to-visit/the-cathedral-of-notre-dame-of-misericorde/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=www.travelobenin.com/}}</ref> The cathedral's tower is situated at the rear-left side of the main building.

The cathedral serves as the seat of the Latin Church archdiocese of Cotonou. The archdiocese was originally established on 26 June 1883 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Dahomey, carved out from the Apostolic Vicariate of Benin Coast, Nigeria.<ref name="travelobenin"/> After undergoing several name changes under Dahomey, it was elevated to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotonou on 14 September 1955.

== Gallery == {{Gallery | title = | align = | footer = | style = | state = | height = | width = | perrow = | mode = | whitebg = | noborder = | captionstyle = | File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde de Cotonou, Bénin 12.jpg | Exterior view of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy in Cotonou | alt1 = | File:La cour de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde de Cotonou.jpg | Courtyard of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy in Cotonou | alt2 = | File:Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Cotonou.jpg | Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy in Cotonou seen from the road | alt3 = | File:Cotonoucathedralinterior.jpg | Interior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy in Cotonou (2007) | alt4 = | File:ASC Leiden - F. van der Kraaij Collection - 20 - 039 - La cathédrale Notre-Dame de Miséricorde - Cotonou, Bénin, 1972.tif | Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy in Cotonou (1972) | alt5 = }}

== References == {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="cathedralhistory">{{Cite web |url=https://archidiocesedecotonou.org/cathedrale-ndm/ |title=Cathédrale NDM |trans-title=Cathedral NDM |publisher=Archdiocese of Cotonou |language=fr |accessdate=11 March 2024}}</ref> }} ==External links== {{commons category|Cotonou Cathedral}} * {{Official website}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090520091554/http://www.travelpod.com/travel-photo/exumbris/benin/1185267900/p1010028.jpg/tpod.html Image] at travelpod.com

Category:Roman Catholic cathedrals in Benin Category:Buildings and structures in Cotonou