Cidade Velha: Africa's Oldest European Colonial City (UNESCO)
15 km from Praia, Cidade Velha was the first European city in tropical Africa — founded in 1462, it became the epicentre of the Atlantic slave trade before being sacked by Francis Drake in 1585
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Pelourinho Pillory Column
The 1512 stone pillar where enslaved Africans were punished is the oldest Portuguese colonial monument in the tropics – a symbol both of colonial brutality and Cape Verde's resilience
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Sé Catedral Ruins
The ruined cathedral - once the largest in sub-Saharan Africa - was sacked by Sir Francis Drake in 1585; its walls and towers still stand above the city
- 3
Forte Real de São Filipe
The Portuguese hilltop fort from 1587 commands the entire bay – built to defend against further pirate attacks after Drake's raid, it is remarkably well preserved
- 4
Ribeira Grande Old Town
The valley between the hills was the original colonial settlement – cobbled alleys and the ruined church of Nossa Senhora do Rosario built in 1495 have survived
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Slave Trade History
Cidade Velha was the primary processing site for enslaved Africans en route to the Americas in the 15th and 17th centuries – a story powerfully told in the UNESCO website interpretation
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The Archaeological Museum
The Old Town Museum displays finds from Cidade Velha's excavations — Portuguese pottery, African artifacts, and the material culture of the earliest Atlantic colonial city