Tarrafal Prison

Tarrafal Prison

The history of the tarrafal prison is closely linked to salazar’s dictatorial regime, maintained until 1974, the year of the carnation revolution in Portugal.
In 1936, this prison received its first convicts. The place served to incarcerated those who opposed the regime and, at the same time, send a message of oppression, to avoid further revolts. Prisoners for political purposes and rebellion were also sent to this place, often. In prison, during the time of its operation, 36 people were killed at the scene.
Its isolation and the fact that it is an island, guaranteed a greater difficulty of escape. With the change of dictatorial regime to a democracy in Portugal, the former colonies became independent and many of the prisoners, including political prisoners, were released.
Thus, this place is very much linked to repression, but also to independence, both from Cape Verde and other former Portuguese colonies, and from Portugal, because it is home to insurgent voices against the regime.

Why visit?

A place not to celebrate and not to forget

Tarrafal’s arrest was of historical importance, not for the best of reasons. And so it is so important to keep your memory alive in order to avoid the same mistakes in the future. So it’s not a place to be celebrated. But it should not be forgotten either.

Discover the resistance museum

To better understand the history of Cape Verde, this is one of the places to visit. The existing panels provide explanations of the location in French, English and Portuguese. For further clarification you can always hire a guide.
The Resistance Museum is located in Chão Bom, near the village of Tarrafal, on Santiago Island, in Cape Verde.

Other attractions nearby

Tarrafal beach and the village with the same name are places you might like to visit. Take advantage of the trip to have different but enriching experiences.