It is situated at the southern end of Avenida Andrade Corvo, near the Presidential Palace of Cape Verde.

The present structure in Neo-Manueline style dates from 1872, and was further expanded and modified in the late 19th and early 20th century.

[1] After independence, it was named after Jaime Mota, a Cape Verdean militant of PAIGC who was killed in Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau).

[2] In 2012 it was decided that the building will be restored and house both a military museum and services of the Ministry of Defence.

[3] The Angolan Minister of Defence has agreed to cooperate in the rehabilitation works.