CHURCH OF NOSSA SENHORA DO CABO

Located on the Ilha do Cabo, near a school and convent, this primitive chapel, originally dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, is said to have been built on the site of a stele dedicated to the Virgin Mary that existed before the arrival of the first envoy of the King of Portugal to the Kingdom of Kongo in 1575. The territory was taken over by the Dutch in 1648, and the church was rebuilt and completed by the Portuguese in 1669. It took the name of Nossa Senhora do Cabo, referring to its geographical location at the tip of the island, and was soon considered a vanguard post for the port and city of Luanda. The church was restored several times over the centuries, most recently in 2009. Having become a parish church in 1854, this place of worship is undoubtedly one of the first Catholic buildings in Angola and Africa. The blue-and-white church features a centuries-old cross, an attractive side tower and a sturdy stone construction. The bright yellow interior features a bronze-covered statue of Nossa Senhora do Cabo dating from the late ^18th century. Luanda's fishermen, who gather here for mass, have a special veneration for the Virgin and her sculpture. There are also other figures of patron saints, such as Saint Joseph and Our Lady of Fátima. Don't hesitate to push open the door if you're in the area!