Bingerville

Bingerville was made the colonial capital in 1900, on a ridge above the Ebrie lagoon chosen because it was thought healthier than Grand-Bassam, and it held that role until Abidjan took over in 1934. The governor's palace and a scatter of administrative buildings survive from the period, along with a botanical garden laid out in 1904 with mature specimen trees, and an art school in the old orphanage building that trained several generations of Ivorian sculptors.

History

Stone tools found here, dated to about 13,000 years ago, are among the earliest microlithic industries in West Africa. Once a market town, Bingerville is named after Louis-Gustave Binger, a former French governor, and many buildings from its years as the colonial capital survive, along with its botanical gardens (Wikipedia, Bingerville).

The main sights

• The botanical garden - a 1904 planting with mature specimen trees.
• The governor's palace - the colonial administrative building on the ridge.
• The art school - the studios in the former orphanage, a centre of Ivorian sculpture.
• The lagoon view - the Ebrie system below the ridge.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the most comfortable. The garden keeps daytime hours. Weekends bring visitors from Abidjan.

Before you go

Several colonial buildings are derelict and closed. The botanical garden is poorly maintained and labelling is minimal. The town has been absorbed into Abidjan's sprawl.

Nearby

Abidjan is west, and Grand-Bassam is east on the coast.

Key facts