At the same time there's no city like it in Africa, and the core centre is a lot livelier at night than its grandiose, impersonal appearance suggests. The dazzling centrepiece of it all is the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix , an overly long name for an almost exact replica of St Peter's in Rome. Built in only three years, the basilica is the tallest church in all of Christendom - which is probably meaningless to a country with few Catholics. Size and shape aside, what you'll remember most are the 36 immense stained glass windows, all hand blown in France. Connections in all directions are easy because of its central location.
Buses tend to be the best, quickest and cheapest form of transport for getting there and around.
Researchers have spent decades studying the park's chimpanzees - who, they've found, have imaginative ways of hunting for monkeys. The park is in a very rainy and humid area, so the best time to visit is during the dry spell from December to February. Getting to the park isn't easy. Each village in Man has several representative masks that are used for rituals. Liberia and Guinea are visible from the top.