Town hall
A pink front and garden.
F H Mira — CC BY-SA 2.0 · F H Mira — CC BY-SA 2.0 · F H Mira — CC BY-SA 2.0 · F Mira — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Carlos Ebert from São Paulo, BrazilGRU — CC BY 2.0
Benguela is a coastal city in western Angola, capital of Benguela Province and one of the country's largest cities. Its old centre keeps pink colonial-era buildings among palm trees, about 29 km in a straight line southwest of Lobito. The Portuguese founded the city in 1617 as São Felipe de Benguela. Ships anchored about 1.6 km offshore and passed their loads to small boats that used the town's jetties. In the early 20th century the Benguela Railway was built to link the city and Lobito with the interior, and sisal and fishing industries flourished until 1974. In the centre, the pink town hall with green shutters stands behind a trim garden, and the National Bank building shows off balconies and columns among palms. A white and yellow church with twin towers glows in the evening light. On the nearby coast the golden Caotinha cliff rises over the sea, and seafront walks fill with residents in the evening. The light on the coloured buildings is best early in the morning and before sunset. Keep valuables close, and ask before photographing people. The railway links Benguela and Lobito.
A pink front and garden.
Twin towers at sunset.
Golden rock over the sea.
Central Benguela, Benguela Province, Angola
In 1617, as São Felipe de Benguela.
By road or by the railway linking the two.