Quay and Customs House

Praia [Praia de Santa Maria], Santiago Island, Cape Verde

Equipment and Infrastructures

Located in the lower part of town by the sea, this construction dates to around 1880. The quay was one of the city’s most important public works. Only part of the stone structure of the previous São Januário Quay (then leading to the majestic staircase up to Plateau), which may have been an early construction from the 18th century, survives; the rest was affected by a road landfill. The Customs House building later housed the National Historical Archive. In 1993 the ensemble appeared as shown in the photo.

• José Manuel Fernandes