City Tour Discovering Funchal

Meeting Point - Statue of Empress Sissi

The garden is part of a large property acquired by D. Amélia, widow of D. Pedro V, King of Portugal and first Emperor of Brazil, with the aim of building a hospital for the treatment of poor tuberculosis patients. The building began to be built in 1856. The works finished in 1859, but the Hospice in honor of Princess D. Maria Amélia, daughter of the Empress, who died of tuberculosis in Madeira on February 4, 1853, only began to receive patients. in 1862. With the death of Empress D. Amélia, in 1873, the burden of social work passed to her sister Josefina, Queen of Sweden. Since then, this institution has been supervised by the Swedish crown. Today, the main house is a home for the elderly, while a kindergarten and primary school occupy the new premises built in the agricultural area of the property. The garden extends over a level between the 19th century building and Avenida do Infante, inaugurated in the mid-20th century.

The setting for an important part of the dynamic cultural life of Funchal, the Baltazar Dias Municipal Theater is a monument of great importance, whose elegance gains much prominence in the center of the city. It is worth knowing this space, for its historical and architectural value, but also for its programming. After the demolition of the Teatro Grande in 1833, the population of Madeira demanded, for most of the 19th century, the construction of a new theater in Funchal. The official inauguration of this new space would finally take place on March 11, 1888. Built in the image of the Italian model, it followed the prototype of the Teatro de São Carlos, in Lisbon, and the Teatro La Scala, in Milan. After having had various names, such as “D. Maria Pia”, “Dr. Manuel de Arriaga” or “Funchalense Theatre” —a reflection of the new times—, would end up being called, in 1935, “Baltazar Dias Municipal Theater”, in honor of this blind playwright and poet, born in Madeira in the 16th century.

The Statue of João Gonçalves Zarco is located in Funchal. To perpetuate the figure and work of João Gonçalves Zarco, the General District Board entrusted Francisco Franco with the construction of this statue. The architect Cristino da Silva was in charge of the pedestal project, where he represented allegorical elements related to the Discoveries: Colonization, Conquest, Wisdom and Evangelization. Once the place was chosen, the monument was inaugurated. Thus, in 1934, the statue of João Gonçalves Zarco was erected at the crossroads of Avenida Zarco and Avenida Arriaga. This statue won the gold medal at the Ibero-American Exhibition in Seville in 1929.

Located in the place where the Faculty of Medicine of Funchal operated, in the already distant 17th century, the oldest part of this palace was built. At that time, its building had solidarity purposes, housing the Misericordia do Funchal, but also the Hospital of the city. Over the decades, the building underwent multiple changes and embodied different functions. At the end of the 20th century, the facilities passed to the Regional Executive. Thus, definitively converted into the Regional Government Palace, several Regional Secretariats began to settle in this space. Although the building has undergone successive restructuring, progressively losing its original features from the 17th century, a visit to the Palácio do Governo Regional also allows us to find various decorative elements of interest, which take us back to that historical period. This is the case of the polychrome tile panels that embellish this space, original from the 17th century.

Classified as a National Monument since 1910. It is the main religious temple of the Madeira archipelago, highly admired for its incomparable historical, architectural and artistic value. The construction of this monument began, by order of King Manuel I, in 1493. Completed at the beginning of the 16th century, it presents stylistic features characteristic of the Manueline and Gothic periods. Its façade, for example, presents a very impressive Gothic portal, made of stone from Cabo Girão, with eight pointed arch archivolts. Inside the Funchal Cathedral, attention is immediately drawn to the altarpiece. Topped by a Gothic skyscraper, it presents itself as a large polyptych, in gilt carving, complete with sculptures and oil paintings on wood. Likewise, the roof is also worth a close look. Made of native cedar from the island, it is a monumental example of Mudejar decoration (alfarge ceilings, from the Islamic artistic tradition).

It is a historic city palace, of great architectural value, which retains its original design to this day and now houses the Funchal City Hall. In the lively center of the city, this historic building indisputably marks the urban landscape. It was built in 1758 to serve as the residence of the Count of Carvalhal. Subsequently, it went through various owners and tenants, until it was acquired, in 1883, by the City Council. It then began to serve as the Funchal City Hall. Despite having been altered and reclassified over the decades, it has always maintained its characteristics. It constitutes, therefore, a harmonious example of the architecture of the end of the 18th century. In these facilities the interior patio is landscaped, covered with Batisttini tiles, executed in 1940 at the Fábrica de Maria de Portugal, and a fountain decorated with a marble statue of "Leda and the Swan", signed by Germano José Salles.

Tasting of drinks and typical sweets

The Old Town of Funchal or Historic Center of Santa María is an area where we can take a trip to the beginnings of the colonization of Funchal. Having been one of the first areas to be populated, it soon assumed a leading role in the development of this city. The heritage wealth of this area is enormous. Its alleys, sidewalks, churches and facades, as well as architectural details take us back to very important historical periods.

The Mercado dos Lavradores, which occupies a prominent place in the center of Funchal, can be defined as a living museum where the prominence is given to the freshness, vivacity and tropical flavors of the archipelago. This commercial space was inaugurated on November 24, 1940. Since then, the Mercado dos Lavradores has been part of the daily life of the people of Funchal. Likewise, it has become an obligatory point of passage for visitors to the island, who immerse themselves in an environment dominated by the hustle and bustle. The building, designed by Edmundo Tavares, presents a typical architecture of the New State. Its size and location immediately reflected the intention to make Mercado dos Lavradores the main supply center for the city. The façade, the main door and the fishmonger are decorated with large panels of tiles, from 1940, from the Faiança Battistini factory, owned by Maria de Portugal, painted with regional themes by João Rodrigues.