São Filipe (Portuguese for "Saint Philip") is a city on the west coast of Africa on the island of Fogo, Cape Verde. It is the capital of the island, and the seat of the São Filipe Municipality. The island's airport, São Filipe Airport, is located on the southeastern edge of the town and the island's port is 4 km north of the center at Vale de Cavaleiros. The town's elevation is 20 meters.

thumb|right|Chapel at Praça Alberto da Silvathumb|right|Porto de Vale de Cavaleiros

alt=Nossa Senhora da Conceição church|thumb|right|Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of Conception) church

History

São Filipe was founded in the 16th century and is considered to be the second oldest town in Cape Verde after Ribeira Grande, but a town charter was not granted before 1922. It prospered due to the cultivation of cotton, which was sold on the African coast. In 1655 São Filipe was destroyed by Flemish pirates. In the 18th century it went into economic stagnation, as did Ribeira Grande. The cultivation of cotton was replaced by wine, coffee and jatropha (for oil and soap production), which led to an economical upswing in the 19th century. Representative town houses (sobrados) were built in the city centre, around the parish church. Currently, 70% of the houses in the city centre date from the 19th century. It is at a sightworthy place called Praça 12 de Setembro where a small park and a wooden pavilion are worth a visit.

  • The most important catholic church of the town is Nossa Senhora da Conceição which was built in a comparatively simple style in 1849.
  • In the south of the center, the old cemetery Antigo Cemitério, which was used until the end of the 20th century, is worth a visit. There are several graves in a classic style dating from the 19th century.
  • Outside the historic city center, Praça Alberto da Silva, a rectangular place with a small park and a chapel in a typical residential area seldom visited by tourists, is worth a visit. There are several shops, a bakery and a small internet café. The place offers a beautiful view of a part of the city and its surroundings.
  • Apart from Nossa Senhora da Conceição, the oldest Catholic church, there are sightworthy chapels at Praça Alberto da Silva, a New Apostolic Church and two wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Beaches

Praia da Bila, a black beach, is 40 m below the city center. It is not very clean, and on many days the sea is very rough.

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thumb|right|Fortress Fortim Carlota

thumb|right|A typical street in São Filipe

Notable people

  • Pedro Pires, first Prime Minister and 3rd President of Cape Verde

thumb|right|Museum

Sports

The city has its stadiums – the Estadio 5 de Julho which is used for football (soccer) and a multisport complex named Simão Mendes used for basketball and volleyball games.

Académica do Fogo, Botafogo and Vulcânicos are the town's football clubs, they are also the island's most popular.

thumb|right|Beach and old cemetery.

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Image:SFilipe1.jpg|Colonial architecture.

Image:SFilipe2.jpg|Colonial architecture.

Image:SFilipe7.jpg|Colonial mansion (Sobrado).

Image:FogoEndemicPlants.jpg|Endemic plants in the inner court of the museum.

Image:SFilipe3.jpg|Praça Francisco d'Assis.

Image:SFilipe4.jpg|Praça Alberto da Silva.

Image:SFilipe8.jpg|New Apostolic Church.

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References

  • Information about Sao Filipe, capital of the Island of Fogo, Cape Verde