Top 10 Madeira (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)

Madeira’s Top 10
40
Left Last Supper São Salvador Right Funchal Cathedral (Sé)
Churches
! Funchal Cathedral (Sé)
Funchal cathedral set the
pattern for the island’s other
churches with its talha dourada
(“gilded woodwork”), as the
Holy Sacrament chapel (to the
right of the high altar) demonstrates
(see pp8–9).
Santa Clara, Funchal @ Founded in 1476 by João
Gonçalves de Câmara, son of
Zarco (see pp15, 36), this convent
has changed little since it
was first built (see pp16–17).
£ Igreja do Colégio, Funchal
The Jesuits, a brotherhood of
missionary priests, owned large
wine estates on Madeira, and
spent some of their wealth on
this lovely church, covered from
floor to ceiling in frescoes, gilded
carvings and rare ceramic tiles.
The school they built alongside is
now the University of Madeira. d
Praça do Município • Map P3
Igreja do Colégio, Funchal
$ Igreja do São Pedro,
Funchal
The main church until the cathedral
was built, St Peter’s has a
wealth of gilded wood-work,
some dating from the 17th century.
The corn and grapes being
gathered by angels in the righthand
chapel are symbolic of the
bread and wine of Christ’s Last
Supper. A simple slab covers the
grave of João de Mourarolim
(died 1661), who paid for the decoration.
d Rua do São Pedro • Map N2
% São Salvador, Santa Cruz
This Gothic parish church
was completed in 1512, when
the tomb of the merchant Micer
João, supported by crouching
lions, was installed on the north
side. Next to it is the chapel of
the Morais family (1522). The
altar has 16th-century paintings
of the Life of Christ by Gregório
Lopes, and the sacristy, entered
through a Manueline portal, has
a 16th-century carved and painted
Last Supper tableau. d Map K5
Igreja da Nossa Senhora
^ da Conceição, Machico
Probably designed by Pêro Anes,
who designed Funchal cathedral,
this church dates from 1499 and
is noted for its south door – the
white marble pillars come from
Seville and were a gift from King
Manuel I (1495–1521). So, too,
was the statue of the Virgin kept
in its tabernacle at the peak of
the elaborately gilded high altar.
d Map K4
Many churches in Funchal are open from 8am–noon or 1pm, then
from 4–7:30pm. Others only open for services (around 8am, 6pm).