UNESCO World Heritage Site

Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande

Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande is a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cabo Verde, inscribed in 2009.

The town of Ribeira Grande, renamed Cidade Velha in the late 18th century, was the first European colonial outpost in the tropics. Located in the south of the island of Santiago, the town features some of the original street layout impressive remains including two churches, a roy

The town of Ribeira Grande, renamed Cidade Velha in the late 18th century, was the first European colonial outpost in the tropics. Located in the south of the island of Santiago, the town features some of the original street layout impressive remains including two churches, a royal fortress and Pillory Square with its ornate 16th century marble pillar.

Country
Cabo Verde
Region
Africa
Category
Cultural
Inscribed
2009
UNESCO reference
1310
Area
209.1 ha

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Counts are based on Zikzak's current UNESCO World Heritage dataset, sourced from UNESCO. Last updated 7 August 2026. UNESCO insights

Collections featuring Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande