Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Antananarivo, Catholic cathedral in Andohalo district, Antananarivo, Madagascar.

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is a religious building in the heart of Antananarivo that displays Gothic features including pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses in its limestone structure. It occupies the highest point of the city, making it a visible landmark from many angles throughout the urban area.

Construction began in 1873 and finished in 1890 on a site with a difficult past during Queen Ranavalona I's reign. The building's completion represented a shift in the city's religious landscape and its role within the community that followed.

The cathedral serves as the main seat of the Archdiocese and hosts regular Catholic services where local worshippers gather. It remains an active place of worship that draws both residents and visitors for religious celebrations throughout the year.

The building stands at the highest point of the city and opens daily to visitors, with guided tours available to explain its architecture and background. Plan time to explore the surroundings when you visit, as the location offers views across the urban area.

The west facade, with its large pointed-arch openings, is compared in the French sources to Notre-Dame de Paris, and a large statue of the Virgin Mary stands beside it overlooking the city. The site itself is a memorial to the Malagasy Christians executed under Queen Ranavalona I between 1828 and 1861, around 200 of them, some burned alive or thrown from the cliffs.