The Mercado Roque Santeiro (Portuguese: Roque Santeiro Market) was an open-air marketplace in the district of Sambizanga, in the city of Luanda, the capital of Angola. It opened in 1991 with the official name of Mercado Popular da Boavista; it was named Roque Santeiro after the Brazilian telenovela of same name, aired at the time on Angolan television.
Roque Santeiro became known as the largest market in Africa, spreading through a 1 kilometer length by 500 m width area (the equivalent area of 500 soccer fields) where marketers sold various kinds of goods, from food to computers, in tin-roofed stalls. The market thrived with the civilian conflicts in Angola; with the shortage of food and other goods, Roque Santeiro was one of the few places where they could be found. It was also known as a place for illicit activities such as drug and arms dealing.
Mercado Roque Santeiro was shut down by municipal government in 2011; the marketers were transferred to a new location, in Panguila.
References
- "BBC News - Angolan traders mourn loss of Roque Santeiro market". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
- ^ "Mercado Roque Santeiro, em Luanda, deve ser fechado - ANGONOTÍCIAS".
- "Maior mercado angolano a céu aberto: O fim anunciado do Roque Santeiro em Luanda".
- "Angola: Era uma vez o Roque Santeiro · Global Voices em Português".
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