Espargos, Cape Verde
| Espargos | |
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| Coordinates: 16°45′22″N 22°56′46″W / 16.756°N 22.946°WCoordinates: 16°45′22″N 22°56′46″W / 16.756°N 22.946°W | |
| Country | Cape Verde |
| Island | Sal |
| Municipality | Sal |
| Civil parish | Nossa Senhora das Dores |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 17,081 |
Espargos is the capital city of the island municipality of Sal, Cape Verde. Espargos means "asparagus" and refers to the wild vegetable asparagus stalk with its bright yellow flowers which grows in sandy areas around the island, the type is Asparagus squarrosus and are found in other parts of Cape Verde except for Brava. It is situated in the heart of the island, close to the Amílcar Cabral International Airport. The head offices of Cabo Verde Express and Halcyonair are located at the airport.
The highest point of Espargos is Monte Curral, with a height of 109 meters where the radar station and the control tower for the airport (the tallest building in Sal and the east of the nation) are located along with the island's television and radio transmitters of Sal island are located.
In 1939 the Italian Government of Benito Mussolini was granted authorization by the Portuguese colonial government to begin construction on a transit airport to service its flights flying between Europe and South America. Very simple pre-fabricated installations were built. However, as a consequence of World War II the Italian involvement in the airport project ceased. In 1945 the Portuguese purchased the airport installation from the Italians and by 1949 the Ilha do Sal airport was a fully operational transit facility. The airport has been gradually improved ever since. Small houses were erected in several areas immediately adjacent to the airport. Workers from nearby Sao Nicolau named the civilian area "Preguiça" after the port village on their home island. Espargos is the city's official name. Today Espargos is the principal commercial and government center of Ilha do Sal which has been since 1977. The island's parish seat did not move and is in Santa Maria.
Unlike other portions of Cape Verde, every building in Espargos were built no earlier than the mid 1940s, it has late colonial early modern architecture and many buildings has modern architecture. Most of the bulidings do not have good architecture. Its most notable building is the Sal municipal hall, the other notable one is the church of São João (Saint John), it also has a Protestant church in the city center and its city market. Espargos' square in the downtown area marks the center of the city.
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Wikipedia