Cape Verde's old capital granted Unesco world heritage status

Cidade Velha has been named as one of 2009's Unesco world heritage sites.

In what is sure to be good news for Cape Verde's locals, tourism board and property market, the country's former capital city Cidade Velha has been granted world heritage status by Unesco.

The city, which contains ancient ruins and lies on the island of Santiago, has been recognised as a place of important cultural value by the organisation and marks the first time a world heritage site has been pinpointed in Cape Verde.

Cidade Velha, which used to be known as Ribeira Grande, was founded in the 15th century and bears the hallmarks of the area's diverse cultural influences over the centuries.

The first tropical European colonial outpost, the remains of a royal fortress, two churches and a square can still be detected.

Now that it has been endorsed by Unesco, Cape Verde, specifically Santiago Island, is set to experience a tourism boost, David Endersey, a sales executive at Cape Verde Property, predicted recently.

This article has been brought to you be Sambala; the developer for Cape Verde Property.

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