Libreville

Libreville, the capital of Gabon, is a relaxed, green and comparatively prosperous city stretched along the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Komo estuary, its name, meaning free town, recalling its founding as a settlement for freed slaves. Oil wealth has given it a modern skyline alongside palm-lined coastal boulevards, and its attractions include the striking Saint-Michael's church with its carved wooden pillars, the national museum of arts and traditions, lively markets, and beaches nearby. More a comfortable gateway than a sightseeing destination, it is the arrival point and base for exploring Gabon's extraordinary rainforests and national parks.

History

The Mpongwe lived here long before 1839, when the French admiral Édouard Bouët-Willaumez signed a trade and protection treaty with their ruler, Antchoué Komé Rapontcombo, known to the French as King Denis. American missionaries from New England founded a mission at Baraka in 1842. In 1846 the French navy captured the Brazilian slave ship L'Elizia, and in 1849 fifty-two of the freed captives were settled here - hence the name Libreville, "free town" - and elected one of their own, Mountier, as mayor. The town was capital of the French Congo-Gabon colony from 1888 to 1904, and at Gabon's independence in 1960 it had only 32,000 people; it now holds a third of the country's population (Wikipedia, Libreville).

Highlights

• Saint-Michael's church - the church with carved wooden pillars.
• The national museum - the arts and traditions of Gabon.
• The markets - the lively Mont-Bouët and craft markets.
• The coastal boulevards - the palm-lined seafront and beaches.

When to go

May to September, the long dry season, for the most comfortable weather; Libreville is hot and humid year-round given its equatorial coastal setting. A day is enough to see the city before heading to the national parks, for which it is the main gateway, with domestic flights and transfers onward.

Good to know

Libreville is a relatively pleasant but expensive city with modest attractions, so it is more a comfortable gateway and base than a destination in itself, and Gabon overall is one of Africa's costlier and less-visited countries with limited tourism infrastructure. As a green, relaxed and prosperous coastal capital, though, with a few worthwhile sights and, above all, as the springboard to Gabon's world-class rainforests and wildlife, Libreville is an agreeable starting point.

Nearby

The Pongara beaches and Gabon's national parks are reached from the city.

Key facts