Ribeira Grande, Santo Antão's former capital, stakes its future on restoring its historic centre

From island capital to historic centre

Before Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande was the island's seat of power.

Old houses at risk of decay

A full renovation costs between 4,500,000 and 7,000,000 CVE.

Incentives to restore the old town

Support schemes are being studied in collaboration with international cooperation agencies.

The challenge of not losing population

Part of the young population is moving to Porto Novo or emigrating abroad.

Colonial heritage in varying states of repair

Ribeira Grande's facades range from well-preserved buildings, owned by families with the means to maintain them, to others showing visible cracks, deteriorated roofing and years without any work at all. This disparity complicates any plan for a comprehensive restoration of the historic centre, since some properties would require structural work of far greater scale and cost than others within the same urban core.

The role of international cooperation

Cooperation agencies with a regular presence in Cabo Verde have expressed interest in supporting heritage restoration projects in towns such as Ribeira Grande, following models already applied in other historic centres across the country. These support schemes typically combine partial funding with technical assistance, although access requires owners to meet conservation standards that are not always easy to afford.

Comparison with other historic centres in the archipelago

The process echoes what is under way in Bila Baxo, the historic centre of São Filipe on the island of Fogo, where interest from foreign buyers has driven up the value of old colonial sobrados. In Ribeira Grande, however, external demand is still scarce, meaning restoration depends more heavily on public initiative and international cooperation than on the private market.

Retaining young people, the underlying challenge

Beyond the condition of the buildings, local authorities acknowledge that any restoration plan will need to be accompanied by real job opportunities if the exodus of young people to Porto Novo or abroad is to be halted. Without residents to keep the historic centre alive, they warn, restoring facades risks becoming a purely cosmetic exercise.