Template:Infobox Cape Verde settlement Cidade Velha ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}, Portuguese for "old city", also: Santiago de Cabo Verde) is a city<ref name=yearbook>Cabo Verde, Statistical Yearbook 2015, Instituto Nacional de Estatística, p. 32-33</ref> in the southern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. Founded in 1462 by Portuguese traders,<ref name=gomes>Valor simbólico do centro histórico da Praia, Lourenço Conceição Gomes, Universidade Portucalense, 2008, p. 97</ref>Template:Rp 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.<ref name="whc.unesco.org"/> 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.<ref name="whc.unesco.org">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
GeographyEdit
Cidade Velha is situated on the south coast of Santiago, at the mouth of the river Ribeira Grande de Santiago. It is Template:Convert west of the capital Praia. City subdivisions include Largo Pelourinho, São Sebastião, Santo António, and São Pedro.
HistoryEdit
.jpg){kind=link}
The island of Santiago was discovered in 1460 by António da Noli, a Genoese in Portuguese service.<ref name=gomes/>Template:Rp Da Noli settled in 1462 at Ribeira Grande with his family members and Portuguese colonists from Algarve and Alentejo.<ref name=gomes/>Template:Rp The site had good conditions, as there was abundant water from Ribeira Grande. This gave it an advantage over the other settlement on Santiago, Alcatrazes.<ref name=gomes/>Template:Rp
The settlement became a key port of call for Portuguese colonisation in both Africa and South America. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was a centre of maritime trade between Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, Brazil, and the Caribbean. Due to its proximity to the African coast, it was an essential platform for the trade in enslaved Africans.<ref name="whc.unesco.org"/>
Cidade Velha's port was a stopping place for two great navigators: Vasco da Gama, in 1497, on his way to India, and Christopher Columbus, in 1498, while on his third voyage to the Americas. In 1522, it was the stopping place for the expedition of explorer Ferdinand Magellan, sailing for Spain and on the final leg of the survivors' circumnavigation of the world.
Cidade Velha has the oldest colonial church in the world: Nossa Senhora do Rosário church, which was constructed in 1495. In 1533, Cidade Velha became the seat of the new Roman Catholic Diocese of Santiago de Cabo Verde, created by papal bull of Pope Clement VII. Today the seat is in Praia, in keeping with its status as capital.
The riches of Ribeira Grande and conflicts between Portugal and rival colonial powers France and Britain attracted pirate attacks, including those by Francis Drake (1585) and Jacques Cassard (1712).<ref name=gomes/>Template:Rp Despite the construction of Forte Real de São Filipe in 1587–93, Ribeira Grande remained vulnerable and went into decline. The capital was moved to Praia in 1770.<ref name=unesco>Centre historique de Praia, UNESCO</ref>
Ribeira Grande (now Cidade Velha) was reduced to the rank of a village and its civil, religious and military buildings began to decay after so many institutions left. Since the 1960s, restoration works have begun.<ref name=prop>Cidade Velha, Centre historique de Ribeira Grande, Proposition d’inscription sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial</ref>Template:Rp In 2009, this was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<ref name="whc.unesco.org"/>
DemographyEdit
| Population of the city of Cidade Velha (1990–2010) | |
|---|---|
| 1990Template:Citation needed | 2010<ref name=census10/> |
| 2148 | 1214 |
Sites of interestEdit
- {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Pillory), erected in 1512 or 1520. At this marble pillar rebellious slaves were punished publicly. It was restored in the 1960s. It stands at the main square of the city.<ref name=prop/>Template:Rp
- Forte Real de São Filipe, constructed in 1587–93.<ref name=prop/>Template:Rp This fort was built as defence from pirate attacks (mainly by French and English). The elevation is 120 m above sea level.
- Nossa Senhora do Rosário church, the oldest colonial church in the world, built in 1495. It has a side chapel in Manueline Gothic style.<ref name=prop/>Template:Rp
- Ruins of Sé Cathedral. Its construction started in 1556 and was completed in 1705; the church was pillaged in 1712. Its impressive ruins (the church was 60 m long) have been conserved in 2004.<ref name=prop/>Template:Rp
- Ruins of the convent of São Francisco, built in 1657 on a slope outside the city centre. The convent church was restored in 2002.<ref name=prop/>Template:Rp
- Many traditional houses can be found along the streets rua Banana and rua Carreira.<ref name=prop/>Template:Rp
ClimateEdit
Cidade Velha has a hot arid climate (Köppen BWh). Its average annual rainfall is Template:Convert, and its average temperature is Template:Convert. The coolest month is January (average Template:Convert) and the hottest is October (average Template:Convert).<ref name=climate/> Template:Weather box
GalleryEdit
- Pelourinho Cidade Velha IW.jpg
lang}} square
- Cidade Velha - House by the ocean 2014-10-02 12.jpg
Cidade Velha - House by the ocean.
- ForteSFilipeQuarteis.JPG
Ruins of São Filipe fort.
ReferencesEdit
Template:Sister project Template:Reflist
Template:Subdivisions of Santiago, Cape Verde Template:Ribeira Grande de Santiago Template:Authority control