Cidade Velha Cabo Verde We’re at the pelourinho in Cidade Velha, in the south of the island of Santiago, in Cape Verde. The historic centre of Cidade Velha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town of Ribeira Grande, renamed Cidade Velha, ‘Old Town’, in the late 18th century, was the first European colonial outpost in the tropics. The town features some of the original street layout and impressive remains, including two churches, a royal fortress and this Pillory Square with its ornate 16th century marble pillar.