Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
&
Madeiran Flora
(
Tiles and Sculpture
To the left of the main path
is an area devoted to plants
indigenous to Madeira's
laurisilva
forest
(see p23)
, including the
thornless
Ilex perado
(Madeiran
holly) and
Euphorbia piscatoria
(known in Portuguese as
Figuera
do inferno
- “the fig from hell”),
whose poisonous sap was once
used for stunning fish.
*
Limestone Nativity
The terraces are also deco-
rated with 17th- and 18th-century
tile “wainscots” painted with
cherubs and religious scenes,
salvaged from demolished
convents and chapels around
Portugal. Note, too, the fine Ital-
ian Romanesque well head, with
its amusing motto, “The more
you give, the less you have to
worry about!”
)
Japanese Garden
On the terrace above the
lake, look for the 16th-century
Nativity
carved in fine-grained
limestone by the Renaissance
artist Jean de Rouen. The panels
depicting shepherds and their
flocks are especially charming.
Guarded by leonine marble
temple dogs, the Japanese Gar-
den's lush green vegetation con-
trasts sharply with the bright red
of the gardens' bridges and tradi-
tional Japanese archways.
Monte Palace
Top 10 Other
Quintas to Visit
1 Quinta da Boa Vista
2 Quinta do Bom Sucesso
3 Quinta das Cruzes
4 Quinta do Furão
5 Quinta Jardins do
Imperador
6 Quinta Magnólia
7 Quinta do Monte
8 Quinta do Palheiro
Ferreiro
9 Quinta da Palmeira
0 Quinta Vigia
Monte Palace was a more modest mansion in the 18th
century, when the estate belonged to the English consul
Charles Murray. Later expanded into a hotel, it now
belongs to the José Berardo Foundation, an educational
and environmental concern endowed by a Madeira-
born entrepreneur who made his fortune extracting gold
from mining waste in South Africa. The terraces around
the house display ancient and modern sculptures, as
well as peacocks and “Ali Baba” pots.
d
Camhino do
Monte
•
Map H5
•
291 782 339
•
Gardens: open
9:30am-6pm daily.
Admission €10 (under 15s free)
Monte Palace
For more on the Quintas listed above
See pp14-15, 20, 24-5, 26,
27, 44-45, 56, 59
29
