Natural beauty & scientific research
Located on an island in the Ogooué River in west-central Gabon, you’ll find the city of Lambaréné. Lambaréné is characterized by sparkling lakes, fast-flowing rivers, and the famous Albert Schweitzer Hospital. The hospital was founded in 1913 by theologian and philosopher Albert Schweitzer and Helene Bresslau Schweitzer. The atmosphere in the city feels friendlier and gentler than in the rest of Gabon, as if Schweitzer’s profound humanitarian efforts—he was named “the greatest man in the world” by Life Magazine in 1947—had transformed the character of the country. The U.S. National Institutes of Health has recognized the hospital—which also serves as a research laboratory—as one of the five most important facilities in Africa engaged in scientific research on malaria.