Tuesday 14 July 2009

Cape Verde World Heritage Site



Cidade Velha becomes Cape Verde's first World Heritage Site,Cidade Velha has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, marking Cape Verde's entry to the international community's inventory of properties of outstanding universal value.

Cidade Velha is Portuguese for "old city", or simply Sidadi in Cape Verdean Creole, is a city located 15 km from Praia (Cape Verde's capital) on Santiago. It is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and used to serve as the capital of Cape Verde. Once called Ribeira Grande, its name was changed to Cidade Velha so to avoid confusion with another Ribeira Grande on another island.

On the desert plateau, 100 metres above, is the Portuguese “Fort Real de Sao Filipe” dating from 1590. This building was in excellent condition having been restored in 1999 with Spanish help.

Cidade Velha has the oldest colonial church in the world, constructed in 1495.Cidade Velha's port was a stopping place for two great navigators: Vasco of Gama, in 1497, on his way to India, and Christopher Columbus, in 1498, while on his third voyage to the Americas.

Manifesto: a means of expression

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