Historic Madeira Photographs

Paper box.

Table of contents.

Picture 1: View of Funchal from the east.

Picture 2: View of Funchal from the seaside. On the right side you can spot the Se, on the left side on the hill you can see the Fortalezza do Pico.

Picture 3: View of the city park the Parque de Santa Catharina.

Picture 4: View of the western part of Funchal towards the famous Reid’s Hotel.

Picture 5: View of the bay of Funchal.

Picture 6: View down to Funchal from Terreiro da Luta.

Picture 7: View of the bay of Funchal, opposite direction as picture 6.

Picture 8: The Sè Cathedral seen from the Avenida Arriaga.

Picture 9: Unknown.

Picture 10: View of the Fortalezza do Pico, maybe from the Caminho de Santo Antonio, or from the Rua das Maravilhas.

Picture 11: The typical cart for the tourists :).

Picture 12: Women doing their embroideries in front of one of the typical houses.

Cover.

Picture 1: Funchal from the West.

Picture 2: Funchal from the East.

Picture 3: Funchal – View from the sea.

Picture 4: A street of Funchal showing the Se in the background.

Picture 5: Hammock.

Picture 6: Bullock Car.

Picture 7: Sugar cane cutting.

Picture 8: Reid’s Palace Hotel.

Picture 9: Monte – Funicular Railway.

Picture 10: Monte Palace Hotel.

Picture 11: Terreiro da Luta – “Restaurant Esplanade”.

Picture 12: The Village of Camara de Lobos.

Cover.

Picture 1: View of Funchal from the sea. The same picture like number 3 in the second series.

Picture2: View of Funchal from the pier. Please compare to picture 1 of the first series of historic Madeira photographs.

Picture 3: View of Funchal looking east, much the same like picture 2 from the first series and exactly the same picture like picture 1 from the second series.

Picture 4: View of the funicular railway up to Monte.

Picture 5: Sugarcane cutting. This is the same picture like number 7 from the second series.

Picture 6: Bullock car. Very interesting here: the people and the setting is completely the same as in picture 6 from the second series, but it is definitely a different photograph since the position of the people is slightly different and the dog is missing.

Picture 7: Hammock. This is the same picture like number 5 from the second series.

Picture 8: Typical Madeira house.

Picture 9: Sledge from the mount. I guess it must be the Rua de Santa Luzia or the Caminho do Monte.

Picture 10: Unknown waterfall.

Picture 11: Natives (male).

Picture 12: Natives (female).

Cover.

Picture 1: Pier – entrance to town. This picture shows a view of the central city of Funchal, up the Avenida Zarco from the Cais. To the left you can see the Palacio de Lourenco.

Picture 2: Funchal – looking east. This is a view of central Funchal, probably from above the Rua da Ribeira de Sao Joao. Left from the center of the picture you can spot the Se cathedral. Note how the harbor did not have the main quayside back then. Before the main quay was built two small armored rock islands guarded the harbor.

Picture 3: Funchal. This picture shows the shoreline of Funchal, looking east. On the left side you can see the Palacio de Laurenco, above it the Se cathedral.

Picture 4: Funchal bay. View of the old harbor. Today there is a huge quay, incorporating the two small rock islands that were armored to guard the harbor against pirates. The picture must have been taken from about the location where today you will find the Reid’s Hotel.

Picture 5: Funchal from the mount. View from Monte down to Funchal, out of the cable car of the Companhia do Caminho-de-Ferro do Monte. It exploded at the 10th of September 1919, killing some people. Even after this event, the “Comboio” went on until the 17th of May 1943. Shortly after the last trip the rails were taken down.

Picture 6: Cathedral. This picture shows the famous Se cathedral. The name comes from sedes, meaning seat (of a bishop). This cathedral was built by Gil Eanes between 1493 and 1514. The high profits of the sugar trade enabled the Funchal merchants to purchase some highlights for their cathedral like a Flemish altar painting or a artistic wooden ceiling. The Avenida Arriaga, being one of Funchals main streets today, was just a dirt road back then. The jacaranda trees can still be found at the Avenida Arriaga.

Picture 7: Dona Maria Theatre. I believe this used to be the public theatre, situated at the Avenida Arriaga.

Picture 8: Public gardens. This picture shows the Jardim Municipal of Funchal.

Picture 9: Belmonte Hotel gardens. The Grand Hotel Belmonte was situated in Monte and was one of the two famous Monte hotels, the other being the Hotel Monte Palace. Today the gardens of the old Monte Palace Hotel are by far more famous, since José Berardo (also called Joe Gold because he made a fortune with gold digging in southern Africa) turned them into a huge park. In front of the old entrance to the Grande Hotel Belmonte today you will find the starting point of the toboggan ride down to Funchal.

Picture 10: Bullock car. One of the main transporting means back then. The “car” was a sleigh of course. This looks like a lot of work for the yoke of oxen, but the pebble roads were in fact quite smooth and offered little friction to the sleigh’s runners.

Picture 11: Hammock. This was the other way of transport for tourists back then. I wonder if they got seasick after a while.

Picture 12: Funicular railway. This railway went up to Monte at first. In 1912 it was extended up to Terreiro da Luta. Also take a look at picture 5 (Funchal from the mount). Besides the railway you can see a sledge coming down the hill, still a fun thing to do today.

Picture 12: Funicular railway. This railway went up to Monte at first. In 1912 it was extended up to Terreiro da Luta. Also take a look at picture 5 (Funchal from the mount). Besides the railway you can see a sledge coming down the hill, still a fun thing to do today.

Picture 14: Road and river. This picture is taken from above the Riba de Santa Luzia into the direction of Funchal bay. On the left side you can see the building that today houses the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira, the second high building from the left. The house was built by Henry Veitch, being British Consul from 1809 to 1828 and 1831 to 1835. The building was later known as “Chateau Cossart”.

Picture 15: Country cottage. Looking at this picture, it is easy to imagine how poor conditions on Madeira island must have been back then.

Picture 16: Village of Cama de lobos. Cama de lobos is the common short form of Camara de lobos, meaning cave of the wolves (the seals). This village was the favorite painting spot of Sir Winston Churchill and remains a favorite tourist spot today.

Picture 17: Grand curral. Judging from the scenery I would guess that this picture was taken at Curral das Freiras.

Picture 18: Rabacal. Rabacal remains one of the favorite hiking spots today, leading to the 25 fontes.