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Cidade Velha
Sign in to saveoldest settlement in Cape Verde, and former capital of the territory
Cidade Velha is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde, located on the island of Santiago. As the former capital of the territory, it holds significant historical importance to the nation's colonial and cultural heritage.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Country
- Cape Verde
- Island
- Santiago
- Municipality
- Ribeira Grande de Santiago
- Civil parish
- Santíssimo Nome de Jesus
- Total
- 1,214
- Official name
- Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande
- Criteria
- Cultural: (ii)(iii)(vi)
- Inscription
- 2009 (33rd Session )
- Area
- 209.1 ha (0.807 sq mi)
- Buffer zone
- 1,795.6 ha (6.933 sq mi)
via Wikipedia infobox
~5 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Cidade Velha ([siˈdadɨ ˈvɛʎɐ], Portuguese for "old city", also: Santiago de Cabo Verde) is a city in the southern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. Founded in 1462 by Portuguese traders, it is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and its former capital. Once called Ribeira Grande by the Portuguese colonists, they changed its name to Cidade Velha in the late 18th century after relocating the capital to Praia. It is the seat of the Ribeira Grande de Santiago municipality.
Located on an island off Africa's northwest coast, this town was the first European colonial settlement in the tropics. Some of the meticulously planned original design of the site is still intact, including a royal fortress, two churches and a 16th-century town square. Today, Cidade Velha is an Atlantic shipping stop and center for Creole culture. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is designated in 2009 as one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Cidade Velha” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.