Djarfogo, meaning Ilha do Fogo, is one of the ten islands in Cape Verde, and one of the most beautiful. In the beginning it was called São Filipe, but later it would appropriately be called ILHA do FOGO, a very expressive name, given in honor of the imposing and representative Volcano, as its ex-libris and one of the most notable symbols of all Cape Verde.

Fogo island was discovered in the 1640s, the same period as the islands of Santiago and Maio. Of volcanic origin and located west of Santiago, it has a circular shape, with an area of 476 km2, and has the highest point of all the islands of Cape Verde.

The Fogo Island volcano is approx. 2829 meters high with a 8 km diameter caldera in Chã das Caldeiras on the western side, the walls reach 1000 meters, with a 500 meter diameter crater, and a depth of 180 meters; it is the fourth in size relative to the other islands.

It currently has a population of almost 40 thousand inhabitants The Fogo Volcano, is the major tourist attraction Chã das Caldeiras, situated inside the crater of the still active volcano, is a village that provides the visitor with unforgettable memories through the richness of colour tones, contrasting lava landscapes with agricultural plantations that produce the famous fogo wine.

The houses, built from the black volcanic stone, remind us of an almost biblical landscape.
The capital Sao Filipe is candidate for World Heritage, and the narrow paved streets, gardens with trees and flowers and colonial architecture provide the town with a very special charm of its own.

The Sobrados from São Filipe, colonial-style ma¬nor houses, many of them recently transformed in charm hotels are also very interesting.
Should all these attractions be not enough, Fogo is also known as a producer of coffee that is considered by many as one of the best in the world.

Djarfogo, meaning Ilha do Fogo, is one of the ten islands in Cape Verde, and one of the most beautiful. In the beginning it was called São Filipe, but later it would appropriately be called ILHA do FOGO, a very expressive name, given in honor of the imposing and representative Volcano, as its ex-libris and one of the most notable symbols of all Cape Verde.

Fogo island was discovered in the 1640s, the same period as the islands of Santiago and Maio. Of volcanic origin and located west of Santiago, it has a circular shape, with an area of 476 km2, and has the highest point of all the islands of Cape Verde.

The Fogo Island volcano is approx. 2829 meters high with a 8 km diameter caldera in Chã das Caldeiras on the western side, the walls reach 1000 meters, with a 500 meter diameter crater, and a depth of 180 meters; it is the fourth in size relative to the other islands.

It currently has a population of almost 40 thousand inhabitants The Fogo Volcano, is the major tourist attraction Chã das Caldeiras, situated inside the crater of the still active volcano, is a village that provides the visitor with unforgettable memories through the richness of colour tones, contrasting lava landscapes with agricultural plantations that produce the famous fogo wine.

The houses, built from the black volcanic stone, remind us of an almost biblical landscape.
The capital Sao Filipe is candidate for World Heritage, and the narrow paved streets, gardens with trees and flowers and colonial architecture provide the town with a very special charm of its own.

The Sobrados from São Filipe, colonial-style ma¬nor houses, many of them recently transformed in charm hotels are also very interesting.
Should all these attractions be not enough, Fogo is also known as a producer of coffee that is considered by many as one of the best in the world.

With modern technology, one can better appreciate its geographic situation (much more and the space we occupy,) In this photo, taken by satellite, contemplates the entire island of Fogo, and one can see that (truly) this beautiful and historic island is really in a volcano, that nature has almost tamed, giving Foguenses and visitors more tranquility, however without neglecting and listening to the pulse and temperature of this powerful giant. (potent.)

History

The history of the island of Fogo, before its emancipation, says that it had contrasting periods of progress, and terrible natural and man-made calamities. Just for the sake of information, there was a terrible attack on the island in 1665 by some Dutch pirates, who, for four days, looted, mistreated people, desacrating churches and houses, taking everything they could find.

During the history of a people, or of an island or a country, the determination to fight for survival despite countless and incredible circumstances, must be the main motivation to achieve emancipation. This is precisely what happened in the case of Fogo Island, and in all the other islands of Cape Verde.

1572

According to the letters of the renowned Cape Verdean writer Germano Almeida, in his book CAPE VERDE, TRAVEL THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS – Fogo Island had about 2300 inhabitants, of whom 300 were free men and 2000 slaves, living their lives practically in an economy made exclusively from the cultivation and planting of cotton and grapevine whose products were sent to Santiago, and later exported and traded in Guinea and Brazil.

The first great famine on the island of Fogo occurred in 1719, and then 1759, that year there was a tremendous explosion of the Fogo Volcano, which exploded with so much violence radiating sands on some other islands of Cape Verde; for example, it hit Santiago where it damaged or did some damage to pasture and agriculture; these sand showers were like tears that meant or expressed the despair that the island was experiencing, caused by the abandonment of central power.

1773

Another terrible famine hovered on this island, caused by the lack of rain and outside support, causing many deaths and great suffering.

During the Second World War in 1941-1942, another human catastrophe occurred on this sacred island, causing countless losses of lives.

At that time many people took advantage and decided to emigrate to the USA from where they could contribute and alleviate the catastrophic situation on the island.

At such a period in its history, the island of Fogo experienced some economic development, with the introduction of the cotton, coffee, wine, etc. plantation industry.

At present

Fogo Island is administratively divided into three counties: Sao Filipe, Mosteiros and Santa Catarina In the city of São Filipe, every year, on the first day of May, the great festival of Nho San Filipe is celebrated, which attracts a large public, both national and diaspora, and, for a week or more, the island of Fogo, is the center of Cape Verde’s attention.

After national independence, the Municipality of Mosteiros was created on the island of Fogo, with its own diversity and identity, where the famous cafe do Fogo is produced, one of the best in the world.

Finally, rising more and more to the island of Fogo, there is one more municipality, that of Santa Catarina, The seat of the municipality is Cova Figueira, located a short distance from the imposing Fogo volcano. It is on this side that Chã das Caldeiras is located, where the famous Fogo Wine is produced.