São Tomé Town

São Tomé Town

São Tomé is the capital of the Central African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, whose name means "Saint Thomas" in Portuguese. It was founded in the 15th century and is one of Africa's oldest colonial cities. Álvaro Caminha created the colony of São Tomé in 1493. The Portuguese arrived in São Tomé in search of land to grow sugar cane. Before the Portuguese arrived, sometime around 1470, the island was uninhabited. Located about 40 kilometers north of the equator, São Tomé's climate was humid enough for sugar cane to be grown in wild abundance. The important port of São Tomé is located in the northeast of São Tomé Island, in the Ana Chaves Bay, with Ilhéu das Cabras on the coast nearby. The city's landmarks include the Presidential Palace and the Cathedral. The Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of São Tomé, stands in Praça do Povo in the city center, near the Presidential Palace. The Presidential Palace of São Tomé and Príncipe is the President of São Tomé and Príncipe's official residence, located in the capital, São Tomé. The 19th century Portuguese colonial style building previously was used as the residence of the governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe until the country gained independence in 1975. Another landmark in the city is the Fort of São Sebastião, built in 1566, and now home to the São Tomé National Museum.