Virtual trip to Luanda, the capital of Angola. Luanda is the capital of which country? Luanda is the capital of which
The Republic of Angola is a country in southwest Africa. The capital is Luanda. This city ranks third in the world in terms of the number of people who speak Portuguese. The first two places are occupied by the South American cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The capital of Angola is located on the coast Atlantic Ocean.
Luanda is over four hundred years old. The year of its foundation is considered to be 1575. The founder of the city is the Portuguese Paulo Dias de Novais, who named it Sao Paulo da Assumpcio de Luanda. Translated as “cowrie shell”. She was local currency Angola until the beginning of the twentieth century.
In the mid-seventeenth century, the Portuguese ceded Luanda to Holland, but after 7 years the city returned to Portugal. From the 16th to the early 19th centuries, the capital of Algeria was considered one of the centers of the slave trade in South Africa.
What is the capital of Angola
Towards the middle of the nineteenth century, the slave trade was prohibited, but the city's economy did not suffer, since it was soon founded sea port, which was used for export. Exported:
- Palm oil
- peanut butter
- coffee beans
- cotton
- cocoa
In 1974, Portugal changed its government through a bloodless coup. After the change of the Portuguese government, Angola, whose capital always remained Luanda, became an independent country. However, immediately after gaining independence, a terrible civil war began in the country, which dragged on for many years. The development of Luanda stopped, the port ceased to function. Many Portuguese left the country.
This city appeared 4 centuries ago and was called “São Paulo li Luanda”; it received its current name - Luanda - only in 1975. Initially, it was a settlement founded by the Portuguese colonialist; later it was given the status of a city and began to be used as a base for the colonial administration. The current capital of Angola became a kind of bridge through which blacks were transported outside the country.
Life in Luanda has changed radically in the last century. This city became the center of concentration of the main forces local population who began an active struggle against Portuguese oppression. As soon as Angola gained independence, Luanda immediately became its capital. Today here you will meet representatives of different races, states and cultures. Of course, the majority of the population is made up of African peoples, but there are also quite a lot of descendants of the Portuguese colonialists and Europeans here. The same applies to languages – there are quite a lot of them. Portuguese is the official language, but along with it you will often hear European languages and Bantu.
Why the capital of Angola attracts tourists
Firstly, the tourism sector in Luanda is well developed. Many are accustomed to thinking that in Africa everything is somehow chaotic, visitors entertain themselves. But this is not always the case. It is enough to remember about, in which a huge number of exciting excursions are organized for tourists both in the city itself and beyond. At the same time, you can spend your time peacefully, enjoying the beautiful pictures of nature. If the “Navel of the Earth” is located nearby - one of the main attractions of Africa, which everyone advises to look at, then near the capital of Angola you will find a real little piece of paradise.
The island of Mussulo offers you to wander along beautiful beaches and enjoy solitude.
Also near Luanda there is an ancient fort, national park and coffee plantations, also of interest to tourists.
Nature, of course, deserves special attention. The capital of Angola boasts a neighborhood of shrubby and grassy savannas. There are also quite a few palm groves here. Walking along coastline, you may well see mollusks and turtles, but if you go out to sea and dive to great depths, you will see a whale.
Luanda and its attractions
The first thing that catches the eye of any visitor to this city is the variety of architectural styles. It is especially interesting to look at the buildings designed in the colonial style, most of them are built from stone, wood and clay.
Many buildings contain elements of African culture - ornaments, African masks, images of animals. If you are in the capital of Angola, be sure to look at the university building and the San Miguel fortress - these are the main examples of the colonial style.
The central part of Luanda includes the Jesuit Church (XVI century), the Church of the Madonna of Nazareth (2nd half XVII century) and the Temple of the Carmelites (mid-17th century). In addition, tourists usually strive to visit the former residence of the Portuguese governor. Also check out the Palacio de Ferro ("Iron Palace").
This architectural monument, who has survived almost all the troubles of the past. They say that its author was Gustav Eiffel himself, famous throughout the world as the creator of the symbol.
It will also be interesting to just walk around Luanda, because the city sidewalks will certainly evoke an association with the capital of Portugal, in particular with the famous boulevard paved with mosaics.
You can have a great time, take a break from busy excursions in one of the city parks, sunbathe on the beach, or go surfing.
Cultural holiday in the capital of Angola
It is definitely worth a look at the Academy of Music, which has been open since 1956 and offers visitors to get acquainted not only with classical works, but also with melodies by local composers. It should be noted that the capital of Angola is very careful about the traditions of dance and music cultures. Contemporary music is closely intertwined with musical traditions Caribbean Islands and Brazil.
The San Miguel Fortress houses the Museum of Angola, which displays exhibits telling the history of the country and the African people. Will complement general impressions from Luanda and gain knowledge about the country visiting the Dundu Museum.
Historical and ethnographic monuments are collected here. Surely many will be interested in visiting the Museum of Slavery; they only read about this phenomenon in books and watched stories on TV, but here there are documented facts. By the way, watch movies in good quality about the history of the African-American people, you can listen to interesting lectures even if you find yourself in America (Philadelphia), for this it is enough to visit Luanda, but you will also find the Museum natural history and the Anthropological Museum.
Do you like to read? Have you tried to get acquainted with the masterpieces of African literature? Perhaps you will be interested in this. Try it, go to the National Library, located in the Angolan capital, and leaf through books by writers such as Arthur Pestana dos Santos or Luandino Vieira. Of course, it will be difficult to understand something, so you can look at modern performances created based on their works.
Do you want to get acquainted with black painting? Go. Yes, you read correctly, one of the quarters of the Cuban capital is an open-air museum of African painting.
And in the end I would like to remind you about things for tourists. Although Luanda does not have a high crime rate, it is worth paying attention to your belongings. Leave valuables in the hotel safe. But be sure to take a bottle with you mineral water, because you can’t drink the local water.
Some places accept dollars as payment, while others accept kwanzaas.
Be calm about document checks by local law enforcement officers and do not take photographs government agencies! The law prohibits this. Read more about what awaits you because of such carelessness in the article about, I’m sure you will find a lot of useful and interesting things.
Well, now you know that Luanda is the capital of Angola (a country located in Africa). It's quite attractive and interesting place. You will learn even more about him and his coloring from the video.
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Luanda- the capital of Angola, the most Big city countries. Luanda is one of the largest African cities, its population is 4.5 million people.
Luanda is located on the Atlantic coast, it is one of the major ports on the Atlantic coast of Africa.
The city is located in the Southern Hemisphere, 900 km south of the equator.
Map
Attractions
There are many attractions in Luanda; it is an interesting city.
Former residence of the Portuguese Governor General - This luxurious palace, which is located in the center of the Angolan capital. It is always open to visitors, where you can get acquainted with the interior of the palace. The interior has been preserved since the Portuguese colonization.
Mausoleum of Augustinho Neto – one of the leaders of the uprising for Angolan independence is buried here.
Football stadium – accommodates 60 thousand spectators, football in the capital of Angola is the most popular look sports
Fortress-fort San Miguel – it houses a historical museum, which was discussed above in this article. Luanda was founded here by the Portuguese.
National Library - one of the places of cultural recreation for residents of the capital of Angola.
Luanda center– built up with one-story houses in a typical Portuguese colonial style. There are many medieval narrow streets, many shops, cafes, restaurants, there are always a lot of tourists here.
Museums
There are many interesting museums in Luanda.
Historical Museum – is located on the territory of the fortress of San Miguel, the place where the Portuguese founded their colony. The museum details the history of Angola and the struggle of the Angolan people for independence from Portuguese oppression. There are many interesting historical photographs and documents.
Museum Armed Forces Angola – tells visitors about the main periods of formation and development of the Angolan army. Here are the weapons that the Angolan army has.
Slavery Museum – interesting museum, whose exhibitions are dedicated to the slave trade on the African continent.
Natural History Museum – talks about geological structure territory of Angola, about the minerals that are mined in the country.
Anthropological Museum – tells about the history of the settlement of the territory of Angola by ancient people.
Story
The capital of Angola was founded by the Portuguese conquistador Paulo Dias de Novais in 1575. The city was named Sao Paulo di Luanda. The city bore this name until 1975, when it received modern name- Luanda.
In 1641, the city and the entire territory of modern Angola were captured by the Dutch, but their rule was short-lived - only 7 years. In 1648, the Portuguese regained control of São Paulo de Luanda.
During the Portuguese colonization, Sao Paulo di Luanda became the largest center for the trade of dark-skinned slaves in Africa. The slave trade lasted from the 17th to the 19th centuries; during this period, 3 million black slaves were exported from Africa through the port of Luanda.
In the 20th century, a national liberation movement for independence from Portugal unfolded in Luanda.
A civil war broke out in 1961 and ended in 1974 with Portugal granting independence to Angola. Luanda becomes the capital of the new independent state.
The new government of Angola set a course for building communism, and, starting in 1978, the territory of Angola, including Luanda, was repeatedly attacked by South Africa, where apartheid policies were being pursued at that time. The country was ruled by the separatist group UNITA.
In 1991, an agreement was signed between the Angolan government and the UNITA group on a ceasefire and peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Luanda is today one of the most expensive capitals in the world, and in 2008, the capital of Angola ranked first in the world in terms of the high cost of living.
Monuments
Luanda's most famous monument is the Peace Monument. This sculptural composition, consisting of a plywood pigeon and a real infantry fighting vehicle.
Religious buildings
Luanda is home to many ancient churches:
- Jesuit church;
- Temple of the Carmelites;
— Church of the Virgin Mary of Nazareth;
- Church of Nossa Senhora do Cabo;
— Cathedral;
- Church of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré;
- Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo;
- Church of Nossa Senhora de Remedios;
- Church of Mercy;
- Church of Jesus.
All churches in Luanda are Catholic.
Parks
70 km from Luanda is the Kissama Park - a park that consists of untouched tropical forest.
Stations
Luanda has railroad station and there is passenger service. By train from the capital of Angola you can get to the city of Malanje, which is located in the center of Angola.
Climate
Luanda's climate is tropical. There are no seasons, summer reigns all year round. You can swim in the Atlantic Ocean in the Luanda area all year round. A distinctive feature of Luanda's climate is low humidity. There is little rain here.
Climate
The city of Luanda occupies advantageous position on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in the area where the Kwanza River flows into it. The climate in this zone is tropical, the average annual precipitation is 250-500 mm, with most of it falling in February-March. The warmest month of the year is March, at this time the mercury rises to +30 degrees, in July the temperature drops to +16, which is largely due to the cooling influence of the Bengal Current.
Flora and fauna
In the vicinity of Luanda, grassy and shrubby savannas have been preserved in almost their original form; numerous palm trees grow here, the groves of which are becoming thinner to the south of the capital. Outside the city limits you can find such wild animals as elephants, lions, leopards, zebras, antelopes, and monkeys, but their populations have sharply declined in recent years due to human poaching. The coastal waters are home to various representatives of aquatic fauna: whales, turtles, shellfish, and several species of fish.
Economy
Luanda in 2008 was recognized as the most expensive city in the world. According to a new study by the London-based consulting company ESA International, the capital of Angola has overtaken Tokyo. But Moscow dropped from 3rd to 6th place. The studies were conducted in 270 cities around the world. Prices were taken into account for 125 goods and services. The main reasons were: high prices on goods and services in the city, as well as infrastructure destroyed by three decades civil war. The profits of foreign companies in Angola from oil and diamond production create increased demand for high-quality housing, expensive restaurants and cars, shoes and clothing.
Most Angolans live in extreme poverty. Almost all food in the country is imported, so a liter of milk can cost $3, and rent for a two-room apartment can cost $7,000 a month.
Culture
Luanda is the center of cultural development of Angola. There are several hundred primary schools with an eight-year course of study here, and there are preparation courses for entry into technical and pedagogical educational institutions that provide secondary education. At the Agostinho Neto University, opened in 1976, you can get higher education. Teaching in all schools and universities is conducted in Portuguese. Since 1956, the Academy of Music has been operating in the city, as well as the Angola Museum, which displays a collection of natural history exhibits, and the Dundu Museum, which houses historical and ethnographic monuments. The National and Municipal Libraries, which contain works of the best African poets and writers, as well as masterpieces of world literature, deserve special attention. Troupes of non-professional actors perform stage productions by local authors.
The capital preserves the best traditions of musical culture and dance, and modern popular music of Angola has a close connection with the musical traditions of Brazil and the Caribbean islands. In the city, whose development began at the end of the 16th century, near the walls of the fortified castle of San Miguel (now the Historical Museum), many architectural attractions have been preserved. The walls of the forts of São Pedro da Barcom and São Fernando de Penedas remain here from the 17th century. In the architectural appearance of the central part of Luanda, built according to the type of provincial Portuguese cities, the transition from Baroque to Classicism found expression. The main attractions of this part of the capital are the Jesuit church (XVI century), the Carmelite temple (circa 1638), the Church of the Madonna of Nazareth (1664) and others. The city sidewalks are paved with stunning mosaics. In the 1950-1970s, significant changes were made to the appearance of the capital: semicircular development began inland, streets were planted with trees, and parks and squares were planted within the city.
Population, language, religion
Luanda is the most Big City Angola, its population (with suburbs) is about 4.5 million people. Ethnic composition The capital is quite diverse: representatives of African peoples live here, as well as Europeans and a mixed African-European population. Residents of the capital of African descent use Portuguese for official negotiations, and among themselves, as a rule, in the Bantu languages (Kimbundu, Umbundu, Kikongo). Angolans, who are of European and mixed descent, speak Portuguese as the official language. Many residents of Luanda adhere to traditional local beliefs, and there are also Christians - Catholics and Protestants.
Story
The modern capital of Angola was founded by the Portuguese colonialist P. Dias de Novais in 1575 and was named São Paulo de Luanda (renamed Luanda in 1975). At the same time, the fortifications of San Miguel were erected on the rocky cape overlooking the city. Already at the end of the 16th century. new town became the center of the Portuguese colonial administration and the main base of expansionist forces in Angola. In 1641, the Portuguese were forced to cede their outpost on the Atlantic coast to the Dutch, and 7 years later they returned their territories. In the period from the 17th to the 19th centuries, Luanda was one of the largest centers of the slave trade; about 3,000,000 blacks were taken from the territories controlled by the Portuguese through the port. In the 20th century, Luanda became the center of the national liberation struggle of the peoples of Angola; clashes between workers and Portuguese troops often took place here. In 1961, the leadership of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) organized the workers of Luanda to revolt. The armed uprising of the capital's residents served as a signal for the start of the liberation war. In April 1974, after a series of revolutionary uprisings, the Portuguese government agreed to grant independence to Angola. In November 1975 at political map a new state has appeared in the world - People's Republic Angola (since August 1992 - the Republic of Angola), whose capital was Luanda. Since 1978 the largest settlements Angola was repeatedly subjected to armed attacks by South Africa, which sought to prevent the spread of communist influence in the region and supported the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). In 1991, an agreement on a peaceful resolution of the conflict was signed between representatives of the Angolan government and the opposing UNITA group in Lisbon. However, the political situation in the region remains unstable, which hinders the rapid development of Angolan cities, including Luanda.
