WHAT TO VISIT
Sé Catedral
Edifícios Históricos
Details
Being the ruins of the only Cathedral in Cape Verde, they indelibly mark the collective memory of Cape Verdeans, with all their symbolic meaning. Its construction began around 1556, the date of the episcopate of D. Frei Francisco da Cruz, responsible for the construction of several other religious buildings, such as the Episcopal Palace, of which there are no traces left, although its old location.
The works were suspended around 1592 and remained at a standstill for more or less 130 years. Thus, the construction of the Cathedral would only be completed around 1700. In 1712, it was sacked by French privateers, commanded by Jacques Cassard, who left it badly damaged and looted much of its contents. Not even the bells escaped. The looting of the City, by Cassard and his men, was valued at around 3 million pounds sterling.
Today, the ruins can be considered as if they were an open-air stage, allowing the visitor to appreciate their colossal dimensions. It is, without a doubt, the center of historical interest in the S. Sebastião neighborhood.
The works were suspended around 1592 and remained at a standstill for more or less 130 years. Thus, the construction of the Cathedral would only be completed around 1700. In 1712, it was sacked by French privateers, commanded by Jacques Cassard, who left it badly damaged and looted much of its contents. Not even the bells escaped. The looting of the City, by Cassard and his men, was valued at around 3 million pounds sterling.
Today, the ruins can be considered as if they were an open-air stage, allowing the visitor to appreciate their colossal dimensions. It is, without a doubt, the center of historical interest in the S. Sebastião neighborhood.
