14621462–1712 · Cidade Velha, Santiago
Cidade Velha (Ribeira Grande) and the early Atlantic slave trade
Founded by the Portuguese on Santiago island in 1462, Ribeira Grande was the first European town in the tropics and an early clearing house for the Atlantic slave trade, where captives from the Guinea coast were baptised, sold and shipped to the Americas. Its mixed population gave rise to Cape Verdean Creole culture. French raiders sacked it in 1712 and the capital moved to Praia.
Sites
- Site 1: Pelourinho (pillory) squareThe early 16th-century marble pillory where enslaved people were displayed and punished.Map ↗
- Site 2: Fortaleza Real de São FilipeFort built in 1587–93 on the ridge above the town, with sea views.Map ↗
- Site 3: Rua Banana and the cathedral ruinsOne of the oldest colonial streets in the tropics and the roofless Sé cathedral.Map ↗
Guides who take you there
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