Mbanza Kongo - The Participatory Management Committee of the Historical Centre of Mbanza Kongo, Zaire province, is working for the restoration, in the next few days, of the vestiges of the former Kongo kingdom, with emphasis on the old Cathedral of Kulumbimbi.
Speaking to ANGOP, the manager of the Historical Centre of Mbanza Kongo, Biluka Nsakala Nsenga, stressed that since the classification as a World Heritage Site, the conservation of the vestiges has improved substantially, although there are some monuments that need restoration works.
Among the historical vestiges that claim an urgent intervention, Biluka Nsakala Nsenga pointed out the Cathedral Kulumbimbi, whose structure presents cracks in the exterior and interior part.
Nsenga explained that contacts have been made with restoration specialists of several countries so that in the near future repair work begins on the ruins of the first Christian church built in sub-Saharan Africa in 1491.
Mbanza Kongo was considered a World Heritage Site on July 8, 2017. The Historic Center of Mbanza Kongo occupies an area of 89.29 hectares, while the buffer zone extends over an area of 622, 16 hectares.
