Funchal — Columbus's Call of the West

Your quest begins at the Sé Catedral do Funchal, a late Gothic cathedral built between 1483 and 1514 under Bishop D. Duarte de Menezes. Here, at the heart of Funchal's heritage, you perceive the island's significance for the Portuguese Discoveries. The 47-meter bell tower, added in 1520, with its bells dating from 1490, witnessed ships laden with hope sailing towards the New World. This is the resting place of João Gonçalves Zarco, the discoverer of Madeira in 1419, and his son Tristão Vaz, emblematic figures who paved the way for maritime exploration. The single nave, 50 meters long, and its ribbed vaults immerse you in the atmosphere of grand departure preparations.

Leaving the cathedral, you cross Avenida Arriaga, developed in 1890 on the old port quays. This 500-meter-long artery, named after João Arriaga, a Madeiran lawyer and politician (1848-1912), was the scene of exchanges and rumors of expeditions. The electric tram line, operational from 1893, the oldest in Portugal after Lisbon, testifies to Funchal's vitality. En route to the Jardim Municipal do Funchal, you observe the Palace of Justice from 1936, whose Neo-Manueline style evokes the golden age of maritime discoveries, an architectural nod to Madeira's glorious past.

The Jardim Municipal do Funchal, created in 1850 over 7 hectares, offers a green setting where 1,500 tropical plant species recall distant explored lands. The 1888 cold greenhouse, with its 30-meter-long Victorian iron architecture, illustrates the craze for exoticism. In the center, the 1,200 m² artificial lake is home to black swans imported from Australia in 1890, symbols of transoceanic voyages. Here stands the statue of João Gonçalves Zarco, sculpted in 1943 by Francisco dos Santos, a tribute to the 1419 pioneer whose spirit of adventure inspired Christopher Columbus.

Continuing your itinerary in Funchal, you arrive at the Colégio dos Jesuítas do Funchal, founded in 1569. Its current buildings, erected between 1580 and 1620, housed a former Jesuit university until their expulsion in 1759. The Church of the Collegio, completed in 1648, is an example of Mannerist style with 17th-century azulejos telling stories of faith and knowledge. The 25-meter-high watchtower served as a belfry until 1835, watching over the port and ships heading into the unknown, recalling Madeira's strategic importance in maritime trade.

Your journey concludes at Praça de Cristóvão Colombo, developed in 1989 for the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. In the center, the 5-meter-high statue of Christopher Columbus reproduces the one offered by Madeira to its twin city Palos de la Frontera. The polished black basalt paving forms a 20-meter-long caravel, and a stone cross reproduces the one erected by Columbus in 1492 in Cuba. This site, at the heart of Madeira tourism, symbolizes the culmination of your GPS scavenger hunt, an interactive journey that has made you relive the audacity of explorers and Funchal's central role in the history of the Great Discoveries.