São Tomé, Capital city in Água Grande district, São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé is the capital city in Água Grande district on the island of the same name in the Gulf of Guinea. The city stretches along Ana Chaves Bay and shows a mix of paved streets, government buildings, and residential areas with low-rise houses.
Portuguese sailors founded the settlement in the late 15th century as a stopover for ships along the African coast. In the 16th century the city developed into a center for sugar cultivation before cocoa later became the main crop.
The name São Tomé comes from Saint Thomas, whose feast day coincided with the island's discovery. Today the streets still show many pastel-colored houses with verandas and balconies that recall Portuguese building traditions.
An international airport about 3 miles outside connects the capital with several African cities and Europe. Within the city many visitors move around on foot or by small buses that run on the main roads.
Fort São Sebastião near the harbor has housed a museum with colonial-era objects and local crafts for several decades. The fort itself dates from the mid-16th century and is one of the oldest buildings in the city.
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Estadio 12 de Julio
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São Sebastião Museum
1.2 km
São Sebastião Museum
1.2 km
National Lyceum
1 km
Presidential Palace of São Tomé e Príncipe
218 m
National Library of São Tomé and Príncipe
313 m
Our Lady of Conception Church, São Tomé
469 m
Supreme Court of São Tomé and Príncipe
254 m
São Sebastião Lighthouse
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Arquivo Histórico de São Tomé
563 m
Cineteatro Marcelo da Veiga
523 m
Mercado Municipal São Tomé
231 m
Igreja do Bom Jesus, São Tomé
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Conjuntos Urbanos, São Tomé
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Cathedral of São Tomé
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