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Old photos of São Tomé

20 photographs of São Tomé, from 1912 to 2020 — each pinned to the exact place it was taken.

Have an old photo of São Tomé? A family album, a postcard, a print from the attic. Pin it to the map and it becomes part of the record.
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What the photos show

The 20 photographs of São Tomé on PlaceWas span 6 decades, from 1912 to 2020. 8 of them were taken before 1980; the other 12 are recent views of the same streets and landmarks.3 spots were photographed more than once, so you can compare the same street, square or building across the years.20 of the photos carry a written caption explaining what is in the frame. Every picture is pinned to the place it was taken, so the map below shows where the photographers stood.

Pick a decade to filter the photos below and the map above. Open full map ↗

Places in São Tomé through time

Spots photographed more than once — compare the same place across the years.

EU: Pico de São Tomé (1966), São Tomé — photos through time
EU: Pico de São Tomé (1966) 7 photos · 1928–1966
Sao Tome Street, São Tomé — photos through time
Sao Tome Street 2 photos · 2015
Sao Tome Taxis, São Tomé — photos through time
Sao Tome Taxis 2 photos · 1912–2015

Stories from São Tomé

What contributors wrote about these photographs.

Săo Tomè narrow gauge, São Tomé, 1912
Săo Tomè narrow gauge 1912 A narrow-gauge railway on the island of São Tomé, photographed in 1912. Such lines were built across the roças, or plantation estates, to move cocoa and other export crops from the fields to the ports during the…
Embaixada de Taiwan em SãoTomé, São Tomé, 2007
Embaixada de Taiwan em SãoTomé 2007 The Taiwanese embassy building in the city of São Tomé, capital of São Tomé and Príncipe, photographed in 2007, from the years when the island nation maintained diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Graça São Tomé, São Tomé, 2015
Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Graça São Tomé 2015 The Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Graça anchors the historic center of São Tomé city, tracing its origins to the Portuguese colonial period that shaped much of the capital's architecture.
Portuguese Colonial Building, São Tomé, 2015
Portuguese Colonial Building 2015 Colonial-era Portuguese architecture, with pastel facades and wooden shutters, remains visible throughout São Tomé city, a legacy of nearly five centuries of Portuguese rule.
Blue Ceramic Tiles in Church, Sao Tome, São Tomé, 2015
Blue Ceramic Tiles in Church, Sao Tome 2015 Blue ceramic tiles decorate the interior of a church in São Tomé, reflecting the Portuguese architectural influence left across the former colony after independence in 1975.
Mercado Municipal, São Tomé, 2015
Mercado Municipal 2015 São Tomé's Mercado Municipal serves as the city's central market for fresh produce, fish, and local goods, drawing vendors from across the small island nation each day.
São Tome, São Tomé, 2017
São Tome 2017 A view of São Tomé, capital of the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, a settlement founded by Portuguese colonists in the late 15th century. Photographed in 2017.
São Tomé - Palacio Presidencial, São Tomé, 2018
São Tomé - Palacio Presidencial 2018 The Presidential Palace in São Tomé was originally constructed as the seat of the Portuguese colonial governor and has served as the official residence and office of the head of state since the country's independence in…
1910s · 1 photo
1920s · 2 photos
1960s · 5 photos
2000s · 2 photos
2010s · 9 photos
2020s · 1 photo