Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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North Aisle
Madeira'stradelinks
withAntwerparerelec-
tedinanunusual16th-
centurybrassFlemish-
stylememorialsetinthe
loortothewestofthe
irstchapel.Thebrass
depictsthefashionable
merchantPedrodeBrito
OliveiraPestanaandhis
wifeCatarina.
%
Ceiling
^
South Transept
Madeira'snativecypress
treeswereusedtobrilliant
effectintheconstruction
oftheceilingofthenave,
aislesandtransepts
(above)
.Itisoneofthe
inestexamplesinPortu-
galofthe
alfarge
,or
“knotwork ,style,which
blendsMoorishandEuro-
peanelements.
Sunlightloods
throughthetranseptwin-
dowstolightupthetim-
berceilingwithits
everlastingknotsforming
arabesquesandstars.
Fadediguresaround
theedgeoftheceiling
depictFortuneholdinga
billowingsail,centaurs
andish-tailedmermen.
&
Sanctuary
Thenauticaltheme
continuesonthegilded
ceilingofthesanctuary
(right)
,whereacarvingof
anarmillarysphere(anavi-
gationaid)canbeseen
amongthepaintedcher-
ubsandloralswags.
*
Seating in the
Knotwork Ceilings
Funchalcathedralhas
oneoftherichestand
mostelaborateofPortu-
gueseknotworkceil-
ings,comparablein
splendourtotheceiling
oftheChapelofthe
RoyalPalaceatSintra.
Funchal'sdeliriousand
dizzyingpatternofknots
andlozenges,withpro-
jectionssimilartosta-
lactites,isbasedonthe
richgeometricartof
medievalIslam.Much
ofPortugalwasunder
MoorishrulefromAD
711toAD1249,andthe
Moorsalsoruledover
AndalusiainSpainuntil
1492,preciselyoneyear
beforeworkstartedon
thiscathedral.
Sanctuary
Carvedin1510-11by
OlivierdeGand,a
Flemishsculptor,the
boldblue-and-goldchoir
stallsdepictsaintsand
prophetsdressedinthe
elaborateattireofpros-
perousmerchants.
(
Altarpiece
Thehugealtarpiece
(above)
wasmadeinLis-
bonintheearly16thcen-
tury.Setwithinitsornate
Gothicframesare12
scenesfromthelivesof
ChristandtheVirgin.
)
East End
Gooutsidetotheeast
endforthebestviewof
thespire,andforthebra-
vadodisplayofbarley-
sugarpinnaclesand
piercedbalustrades.
Bring binoculars if you want to see the finer details of the ceiling
and altarpiece. Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the gloom.
