It is also a so much animated capital the day when all the economic activity of the country bubbles that the night when its bars/maquis and its many discotheques ambrasent the evenings of Lomé.

The Colonial architecture was inspired by three architectural styles.  Oldest of them is a transposition of European colonial architecture. The second style present is the "porto-Novo style" derived from the Portuguese baroque of Brazil. Finally certain buildings are a heritage of the English neo-classic style inspired of close Ghana.

The German Cathedral in the centre town is the suitable place where to begin the visit of the city.

Its nicely painted , its frontage and its inside, its benches out of wooden carved and its frescos representing of the African saints are alive memories of the colonial inheritance of Togo.

"The Governors palace" has be built of 1898 to 1905 under technical direction of engineer German FURTKAMP, following decision of Governor August KOHLER - that one which set up Lome as Capital of Togo -, to build a  representative palace which will be recognized at a distance of thousand kilometers in order to impress the boats.

Arts centers:

Craft center of Lome: Avenue des champs de course. Tel : 221.71.40. BP 12156 Lomé.

Centre artisanal Zove: BP 2504 Lomé.

Founded by Rene David and his wife Enam Ekpe, the international museum of the Gulf of Guinea proposes most of the private collection of the large merchant and collector Rene David born in 1928 in Basle in Switzerland. It made turn over to Africa in 2006, most of its own collection to be exposed in Lome. The museum offers a collection of more than 1500 objects covering the period: 2 centuries before JC, at the beginning of the 20th century.

1603, Bd du Mono

Thuesday: 14H30 - 17H30

From Wednesday to Saturday: 10H - 17H30

Lomé has an attractive national musem. It is located in the Palate of the Congresses close to the place of Independence, opposite due the hotel February 2.

This museum, entirely air-conditioned, is the ideal place to discover the culture togolaise.At the inside, quite enlightened windows tell the local history and show excellent specimens of traditional art. Splendid charts are found there painted and the past of Togo is represented there by old photos and drawings. Other windows show musical instruments, objects going up to thousands of years, pots of clay, baskets decorated with shells and water-bottles used to preserve food and water. Woodcarvings, of clothing, worked metals, the pipes with tobacco and the textiles are also exposed there.

Very close to the Cathedral the large market of Lome is, where the majority are held of the daily trade. This building of two stages occupies a whole block of houses in the city and you will  find there  practically all. Most of the trade is directed by the women in traditional behaviours with the colors sharp.

The women mainly dominate the domestic economy of the cony. It is necessary absolutely that you assist this market. It bubbles of vitality and energy. The hubbub of the voices mixes with the sound with the recorded African music. There are children everywhere, who help their mother or who play in crowd: it is an alive table of the urban activity.

The activities extend out of its wall In the close streets, hawkers and selmen devote themselves to an animated trade and much carry their "shop" on the head.

Market, the streets leave in range in all the directions and it is a pleasure of strolling there. the visitor finds many displays and shops which sell African clothing and articles of craft industry.

It is the place where one can observe the products of togolese religion and of traditional medicine. 

Feathers of birds, craniums of animals, skins of animals, grasses and all kinds of things which are supposed being equipped with magic qualities are reproduced on the counters, as well as small carved fetishes.

The latter would have the capacity to protect the individuals from the bad fate and, according to the salesmen, their effectiveness is guaranteed. 

The market of the fishing port is the occasion to discover all the traditional activity of fishing. The fishermen arrive at the port on board their coloured canoes and directly sell fish to the saleswomen of the market.