Tezos

Mobutu’s Bamboo Palace

Creator

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Description

One of the most luxurious abandoned mansions of all time happens to be in the Congo. Built by a famous Dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Zabanga. He was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997. In September 1960 Mobutu came to power in a coup, ruled the country with an iron fist. In 1971, during his reign, which was marked by a cult surrounding his person, he had Congo renamed Zaire, which kept this name until the end of the Mobutu government in 1997. He used his fortune to build a $100 million palace inspired by Chinese architecture in the middle of a small remote village called Gbadolite. The home had an amazing pool inside of a private courtyard, chandeliers in every room, and priceless artwork from Europe. He even had a nightclub, and would throw parties with 2,000 people. He had the passion for collecting leopard skin print jackets, shirts, weapons, sunglasses, cigar and gold. With all the gold he looted, he ordered the best jewelers in the country to make a golden throne for him, which he kept in his Bamboo Palace. This palace was so remote, it’s nearly 1,000 miles away from the capital Kinshasa. At the time that he lived there, President Mobutu flew to a private airfield near the mansion so that he could travel quickly. The airport even had the ability to accommodate international flights. In 1997, Mobutu was pushed out of his position of power. His luxurious compound was attacked by a rebel faction, and Zaire became the Democratic Republic of Congo. Once he was removed from power, the palace was stripped of its wealth by raiders. The President made it out alive by flying to Morocco. But he died a few months later. Now, there is only the stone facade of what once was. Even the airport is now abandoned, because no one in the area was rich enough to use it.

Traits

Tag

abandoned mansions