Governor Palace - São Tomé, Sao Tome and Principe - Literary Sites on Waymarking.com

This building is currently the Presidential Palace of Sao Tome and Principe and it has been so since the independence of the country in 1975. But a long time ago it was the official home of the Portuguese Governor of the province of São Tomé and Principe and the Fortress of Ajudá.

Equador is a novel by Miguel Sousa Tavares. Perhaps I would be going too far if I wrote that it was an important mark in the Portuguese Literature, but it certain influenced a generation. It tells the story of a young and dandy new governor, named by the king Dom Carlos in the early years of the 20th Century, when this small country (the second smallest in Africa) was the main world producer of cocoa. His mission: to make sure the English consul, recently named and still to arrive, get the idea that the days of slave labor were over in Sao Tome and Principe.

This book made more for the tourism of the country than a thousand advertisement campaigns. After its publishing a horde of Portuguese travelers felt the call and flew to Sao Tome and Principe. The references to the book are constant and even the population is well aware of it. To a point that some locations in the country were renamed to meet their role in the book, like the "Beach of the Governor".

This waymarks shows the palace of the Governor, therefore, the actual home of the main character of the book. So to say, it's also the key location of the book.

Equador was one of the best-selling books of 2003 in Portugal, with over 220,000 copies sold, which is quiet an achievement in a country with a total population of 10 million and where the reading habit is not exactly widespread. It was translated, at least, to English and to German.

Later, the book inspired a TV series, the most expensive ever produced in Portugal, named after the book, "Equador".

More details about the author: (visit link)

A couple of links (reviews in English) about the book:
(visit link)

(visit link)

Short Description: The palace of the Governor is the key location of the novel Equador Book Title: Equador First Year Published: 2003 Author's Name: Miguel Sousa Tavares Name of Waymarked Item: Palácio do Governador Location of Item: São Tomé, Sao Tome and Principe More Information: The location can be observed only from the street as it's currently the palace of the President. Admission Price?: Not Listed Link to more information about the book or waymarked item.: Not listed

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