St. Elizabeth's Cathedral

St. Elizabeth's Cathedral stands at the heart of Malabo's historic centre, its twin towers visible from most of the city. Built in Spanish colonial style with a cream-and-ochre facade, it is the most architecturally significant building in the capital and serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Malabo.

The interior is simpler than the exterior suggests — the upheavals of the Macías years left their mark — but the building has been well-maintained since the return of religious freedom in 1979. Mass is well-attended and the surrounding square, the Plaza de la Independencia, is pleasant in the evenings when families gather and vendors set up stalls.

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A story
The cathedral was built by Spanish missionaries in the colonial period and survived the brutal dictatorship of Francisco Macías Nguema, who declared himself a living god, banned Christianity, and turned the country's churches into warehouses and detention centres between 1968 and 1979. After Macías was overthrown and executed by his own nephew, the cathedral was restored to religious use.