Cidade Velha
Settlement in Santiago, Cape Verde / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cidade Velha ([siˈðaðɨ ˈvɛʎɐ], Portuguese for "old city", also: Santiago de Cabo Verde) is a city[2] in the southern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. Founded in 1462,[3]: 77 it is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and its former capital. Once called Ribeira Grande, its name was changed to Cidade Velha in the late 18th century.[4] It is the seat of the Ribeira Grande de Santiago municipality.
Cidade Velha | |
---|---|
Settlement | |
Coordinates: 14°54′58″N 23°36′22″W | |
Country | Cape Verde |
Island | Santiago |
Municipality | Ribeira Grande de Santiago |
Civil parish | Santíssimo Nome de Jesus |
Population (2010)[1] | |
• Total | 1,214 |
ID | 79102 |
Official name | Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande |
Criteria | Cultural: (ii)(iii)(vi) |
Reference | 1310 |
Inscription | 2009 (33rd Session) |
Area | 209.1 ha (0.807 sq mi) |
Buffer zone | 1,795.6 ha (6.933 sq mi) |
Located 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 one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World in 2009.[4]