Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Câmara Municipal
Right
House of the Consuls
Historic Buildings
!
Alfândega, Funchal
$
House of the Consuls,
Funchal
Few traditional Madeiran houses
are more ornate than this 18th-
century house built for foreign
diplomats.
d
Rua de Conceição • Map
P3 • Closed to the public.
Designed in 1508 by Pêro
Anes (who also designed the
cathedral), the Customs House
was built to collect the taxes lev-
ied by the Portuguese Crown on
Madeira's timber, corn and sugar
exports. Now home to the
island's Regional Assembly, it
has three splendid upper-floor
rooms
(see p9)
.
d
Rua da Alfândega
• Map P3 • 291 210 500 •
By appointment • Free
%
Fishermen's Chapel,
Câmara de Lobos
This simple, moving chapel on
the harbour is where
fishermen come to
pray before and after
they put out to sea.
Wall paintings depict
the story of how St
Anthony of Padua
(who was born in Lis-
bon) survived a ship-
wreck, and was so
eloquent that even the
fishes of the sea came
to hear him preach.
d
Câmara de Lobos • Map F6
@
Câmara
Municipal,
Funchal
Madeira's early 19th-
century town hall
originally belonged to
the Count of Carvalhal
(see p24)
. Look in the
inner courtyard to see
graceful balconies and
a sensuous statue of
Leda and the Swan
(1880),
brought here when the market
was built in 1937
(see p18)
.
d
Praça do Município • Map N3 • Ask
the porter for permission to view
the courtyard
Manueline door, Alfândega
(Customs House)
^
Igreja Inglesa, Funchal
The English Church (1822) is
a domed Neo-Classical building
set in a delightful garden. Its
construction was funded by pub-
lic appeal; Nelson, George II and
the Duke of Wellington all con-
tributed.
d
Rua do Quebra Costas •
Map P2
£
Tower House, Funchal
Opposite the Museum of
Sacred Art
(see pp10-11)
is a
stately building with a
torre-
mirante
. Typical of the grander of
Funchal's town houses, these
towers were built so the owners
could view incoming ships. Note
that the door handles are made
from large iron keys.
d
Rua do
Bispo • Map P3
&
Capela de Santa Catarina,
Funchal
Founded in 1425 by Constança de
Almeida, Zarco's wife, this chapel,
perched above the harbour, was
the first to be built in Funchal.
d
Jardim de Santa Catarina • Map Q2
42
Gold coins paid by the exiled Napoleon for a barrel of Madeira wine
are buried beneath the foundation stone of the English Church.
