Madeira Island
October 3, 2019
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On Day 4, I stayed in Funchal and took the cable car up to Monte, a part of Funchal up the mountainside well known for the Monte Palace, the Botanical Gardens
and tobogganing downwards through the streets of Monte. I did the first two of those, because a $40 ride for 10 minutes was just a bit excessive.
This set of pictures includes the Monte Palace, the Church of Our Lady of Monte, some tobaganning shots and the cable car back to Funchal.
In the 18th century the English Consul Charles Murray bought a property south of the Our Lady Of Monte Church
and created an estate their. In 1897, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues acquired the estate and, inspired by the palaces that he once saw on the Rhine River,
he built a palace-like residence, which was later converted into a hotel named the Grande Hotel Belmonte. This hotel was visited by "eminent national
and foreign people" who enjoyed the lovely resort with breathtaking views of Funchal and beautiful natural surroundings.
In 1943, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues passed away, and the hotel was closed, later taken over by a financial institution, the "Caixa Económia do Funchal".
In 1987, that Caixa Económia do Funchal sold the Monte Palace Hotel to the entrepreneur José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo.
The Monte Palace was opened to the public in 1991. Exotic plants native to Madeira and various countries were added, and Koi fish
were introduced. Two more lakes were built. Garden lanes were adorned with such things as pagodas, Buddhas and statues.
Ceramic tile collections dating from 15th - 20th centuries, a panel of 166 terracotta glazed tiles entitled "The Adventure of the Portuguese in Japan"
and a group of 40 panels portraying the kings and history of Portugal, up until the 3rd republic were brought in.
In the museum rooms, the exposition entitled 'African Passion' shows part of a collection of Zimbabwean sculpture from 1966 to 1969.
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Above: South of Our Lady Of Monte Church, the Monte Palace was begun in 1897 originally as the residence of
Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues, becoming a hotel for the upper crust, closed in 1943 upon his and death and finally opened to the public
in 1991 as the Monte Palace Medeira.
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1 shows a view into the valley below in the Monte Palace Gardens.
2 to 7 show views from the 'African Passion' exhibit, a collection of Zimbabwean sculpture from 1966 to 1969.
8 to 13 are among the 40 tile displays showing the history of Portugal, each of its Kings, Queens and three republics.
... #8 Afonso (Alphonso) I, "The Conqueror", founder and first King of Portugal in 1139 at the age of 30, at war with the Moors until his death in 1185
trying to hold the kingdom together. Voted in a Portuguese Poll as the #4 Greatest Portuguese person ever in 2007.
... #9 Afonso (Alphonso) III, "The Count of Bolgne", fifth King of Portugal 1248-1279, voted #65 Greatest Portuguese person.
... #10 Dinis (Denis) I, "The Poet", sixth King of Portugal 1279-1325, voted #24 Greatest Portuguese person.
... #11 Joao (John) I, "The Good", tenth King of Portugal 1385-1433, voted #37 Greatest Portuguese person, sent out explorers who discovered Madeira Island in 1419.
... #12 Duarte (Edward) I, "The Eloquent", eleventh King of Portugal 1433-1438, sent out explorers to chart West Africa.
... #13 Joao (John) II, "The Perfect Prince", thirteenth King of Portugal 1481-1495, voted #6 Greatest Portuguese person.
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