Kisantu
Inkisi, more commonly known as Kisantu, is a town in the western Democratic Republic of Congo, lying south west of Kinshasa, on the Inkisi River. It is known for its large cathedral and for its botanical garden, which includes an arboretum of indigenous trees.
Location
Kisantu is located in Kongo Central Province, along the eastern bank of the Inkisi River, as it flows northwards to empty into the Congo River. It is approximately northeast of the city of Matadi, the provincial capital.Kisantu is located approximately southwest of the city of Kinshasa, the national capital.
The geographical coordinates of the town are: 05°07'44.0"S, 15°05'05.0"E. The town is located at an average elevation of above mean sea level.
Overview
One of the tourist attractions to the town is the Kisantu Botanical Garden. This was established in 1900 by Father Justin Gillet, a Jesuit priest. Between 2004 and 2008, the garden was rehabilitated with "the support of the European Union and the National Botanic Garden of Belgium".The botanical garden occupies an area that measures approximately, bordered to the west by the Inkisi River. There are over of roads and pedestrian pathways within the garden. The garden attracts researchers, botanists, naturalists, school children and ordinary tourists from inside and outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo.