FORT DE SÃO SEBASTIÃO

In 1545, the Viceroy of India ordered the construction of a fort, which was partially completed in 1558. It was named Sebastião, after the young king of Portugal. This large white building, the centerpiece of the defense of the capital of Portuguese-speaking Africa, served as the governor's residence until 1763. Prison and slave storehouse, it was the symbol of the Portuguese domination for more than five centuries. The island's location for the slave, gold and ivory trade made it a target for the Arabs, Turks, French and Dutch.