A journey through the uncertain capitals of Côte d’Ivoire

This article describes a journey through Cote d’Ivoire; a journey from one city to another, and in particular through urban centres that either are or used to be its capital cities. It begins in Abidjan and describes the transformation of the city into a metropolis made up of districts and brought to life by its various transportation hubs. The journey continues to Grand-Bassam, the country’s first capital city, now dethroned and physically surpassed by the metropolis, and on to Yamoussoukro, the official capital that is struggling to live up to its name. It ends in Bouake, the ‘capital of the north’, a city that remains a major commercial centre but has also been strongly shaken by the country’s internal conflicts.