Summary

The open lecture “The City of Ribeira Grande de Santiago” examined the historical formation and urban development of Ribeira Grande, one of the key sites in the history of Portuguese expansion and an important reference in the history of Portuguese urbanism overseas. The lecture highlighted the significance of the city beyond its physical scale, considering its role as an early urban settlement in the tropics and as a central site in the formation of the Portuguese colonial urban experience.

The lecture focused on the relationship between the city’s historical development and its spatial structure, beginning with the initial settlement around the port and the bay, where administrative and religious buildings were established. Through an analysis of topography, patterns of urban growth, the structure of urban blocks, density and occupation, the session explored the successive stages through which Ribeira Grande developed and the ways in which these processes shaped the spatial form and image of the city.