Cidade Velha
Cidade Velha is a town in the southern allocation of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. It is situated concerning the subject of the south coast, 10 km west of the capital Praia. A former capital of Cape Verde, it is the oldest unity in Cape Verde. Once called Ribeira Grande, its proclaim was tainted to Cidade Velha so to avoid confusion gone Ribeira Grande on the subject of Santo Anto island. It is the seat of the Ribeira Grande de Santiago municipality.
Located off Africa's northwest coast, this town was the first European colonial unity in the tropics. Some of the meticulously planned indigenous design of the site is yet intact, including a royal fortress, two towering churches and a 16th-century town square. Today, Cidade Velha is an Atlantic shipping decline and center for Creole culture. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
After the island was discovered, the city was named Ribeira Grande (Portuguese for large river) by Antnio da Noli, in 1462. After discovery of the Americas, the be of the same mind became an important harbor for trading slaves from Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone to Brazil and the Caribbean. Transcontinental slavery made Cidade Velha the second richest city in the Portuguese realm.
Cidade Velha's dock was a stopping place for two enjoyable navigators: Vasco da Gama, in 1497, on the subject of speaking his exaggeration to India, and Christopher Columbus, in 1498, even though something aligned to his third voyage to the Americas.
Cidade Velha has the oldest colonial church in the world - Nossa Senhora reach Rosrio church, which was construct happening in 1493 - 1495. The fort Real de So Filipe overlooks the town. It was construct occurring in 1590 to defend the Portuguese colony from the attacks of the Frenchmen and English, in particular in 1585 bearing in mind it was attacked and plundered by Francis Drake. However, it was sacked by French pirates in 1712. The capital was moved to Praia in 1770.
