The Marble Palace ( French: ''Palais de Marbre'') is a palace and historic building in

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

, situated atop a hill in the Ngaliema Commune within the residential neighborhood of Ma Campagne, located a few miles from Mont-Fleury. The complex serves as a guest residence during specific official visits and is accessible to the general public, housing an exhibition that chronicles the history of Laurent-Désiré Kabila's assassination.

History

The inception of the Palais de Marbre dates back to 1970 when Governor Albert Ndele Bamu of the National Bank of the Congo initiated its construction. Originally conceived as an "official residence" for himself within the Binza hills of Ngaliema commune, the design process was entrusted to Eugène Palumbo and Fernand Tala N'Gai's design team, renowned for their work on the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

complex and the

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

. The resulting structure adopted a hypermodern, circular design that incorporated segments of the surrounding garden and prominently featured

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

imported from an Italian

quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mining, open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock (geology), rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some juri ...

, with a statue of a prodigious lion at its main entrance. The design, in harmony with the site's topography, was said to resemble the map of the Congo. Ndele was named Minister of Finance in September 1970 (considered a demotion), then dismissed in 1971. Although the Bank claimed the property in its inventory, the Marble Palace was confiscated by President

Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga ( ; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997), often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer ...

, who converted it into one of his opulent palaces and a guesthouse for high-ranking visitors, including the U.S. National Security Advisor, Henry Alfred Kissinger in April 1976. Following the downfall of Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997,

Laurent-Désiré Kabila Laurent-Désiré Kabila (; 27 November 1939 – 16 January 2001) usually known as Laurent Kabila or Kabila the Father (American English, US: ), was a Congolese rebel and politician who served as the third president of the Democratic Republic of t ...

took up residence in the palace. Tragically, on 16 January 2001, Laurent-Désiré Kabila was shot in the chest by one of his bodyguards. On 13 February 2001,

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...

visited the palace during his discussions with the new DRC President,

Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange ( , ; born 4 June 1971) is a Congolese politician and former military officer who served as the fourth President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2001 to 2019. He took office ten days after the assassination o ...

, regarding regional peace. The palace remains the residence of the Kabila family and occasionally hosts specific official visits. An exhibition within the palace provides a comprehensive account of Laurent-Désiré Kabila's assassination.

Tourism

The Marble Palace is open to the public for two days a year: 16 January and 17 January, nationally recognized as "the days of the martyrs." These days are dedicated to the memory of two

martyrs A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

, Patrice Émery Lumumba, assassinated in

Lubumbashi Lubumbashi ( , ; former ; former ) is the second-largest Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in the country's southeasternmost part, along the border with Zambia. The capital ...

on 17 January 1961, and

, assassinated at the Marble Palace on 16 January 2001. The Palace has meticulously preserved historical artifacts, including the bloodstained chair on which Laurent-Désiré Kabila was shot. Parenthetically, it exhibits a collection of photographs documenting Laurent-Désiré Kabila's political journey, from his time in ''Les maquis'' to his eventual rise to power on 17 May 1997. Various works of art, honoring his legacy, also adorn the palace.

References

{{coord, -4.36395, 15.25065, format=dms, type:landmark_region:CD, display=title Mobutu Sese Seko Buildings and structures in Kinshasa Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1970 establishments in Africa Ngaliema