Benguella (São Felipe de Benguella), is a town in Angola, capital of Benguella district, on a bay of the same name, in 12° 33’ S., 13° 25’ E. Benguella was founded in 1617 by the Portuguese under Manoel Cerveira Pereira. It was long the centre of an important trade, especially in slaves to Brazil and Cuba. The anchorage lies about a mile from the town, in 4 to 6 fathoms (8 to 12 m). Besides the churches of S. Felipe and S. Antonio, the hospital, and the fortress, there are (as of 1911) only a few stone-built houses. A short way beyond Benguella is Bahia Tarta, where salt is manufactured and sulphur excavated.
Adapted from original in 1911 Britannica; please update as needed.
