Brazzaville

Brazzaville is the national capital of the Republic of the Congo, located on the north bank of the Congo River. The city looks across the river pool toward Kinshasa on the opposite shore. Apart from Rome and Vatican City, no two national capitals lie closer together.

Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza founded the trading station in 1880 after signing a protection treaty with the Bateke ruler Makoko of Mbé. France designated the settlement as the administrative capital of French Equatorial Africa in the early 20th century. General Charles de Gaulle convened the Brazzaville Conference in 1944 to discuss political reforms across French African territories during the Second World War. The town expanded as a river transport junction after the railway to the Atlantic coast opened in the 1930s. The Republic of the Congo confirmed the city as its capital upon gaining independence in the 1960s.

Port Autonome de Brazzaville and the Congo-Ocean Railway handle river freight transfers, shipping sawn timber, cement, fuel drums, and agricultural foodstuffs between inland waterways and coastal trains. Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo coordinates domestic petroleum distribution and lubricant marketing, while Brasseries du Congo produces Primus lager beers, malt beverages, and bottled mineral waters. Airtel Congo and MTN Congo operate cellular telephone networks, broadband transmission links, and digital payment systems, while BGFI Bank Congo and Crédit du Congo provide commercial business loans and credit services.

Sainte-Anne Basilica displays green ceramic roof tiles, curved brick arches, and pointed iron spires designed by architect Roger Erell in the 1940s. The Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza Memorial contains a domed marble mausoleum and historical exhibition galleries near the riverbank. Marien Ngouabi University offers higher education degrees in law, medicine, science, and the humanities across multiple academic faculties. The Poto-Poto Painting School teaches contemporary African visual arts and decorative canvas techniques established in the middle of the 20th century. Nabemba Tower rises 106 m (348 ft) as a cylindrical glass and concrete office skyscraper overlooking the Congo River.