M'banza-Kongo

M'banza-Kongo (known as São Salvador in Portuguese from 1570 to 1975), is the capital of Angola's northwestern Zaire Province. M'banza Kongo (properly Mbanza Koongo or Kôngo in most acceptable orthographies) was founded some time before the arrival of the Portuguese and was the capital of the dynasty ruling at that time (1483). The site was temporarily abandoned during civil wars in the 17th century. It lies close to Angola's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located at around 6°16′0″S 14°15′0″E / 6.266667°S 14.25°E / -6.266667; 14.25 and sits on top of an impressive flat-topped mountain, sometimes called Mongo a Kaila (mountain of division) because recent legends recall that the king created the clans of the kingdom and sent them out from there. In the valley to the south runs the Luezi River.

Read more about M'banza-Kongo:  History, Notable Sights