City Gates

The Portas da Cidade, in Funchal

The Portas da Cidade, the gates of the city, recall the former maritime entrance of Funchal. The Funchal audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this monument, a witness of the fortifications that once protected the city.

The former maritime gate of the city

The Portas da Cidade date from the end of the seventeenth century and recall the former sea gate through which you entered Funchal upon landing. At the time, the city was protected by fortifications against the attacks coming from the ocean. Reconstructed and highlighted, these adorned gates testify to the maritime and defensive past of the city and symbolically mark the historic entrance of Funchal, between the port and the heart of the city.

What to see

You admire the adorned gates, a symbolic vestige of the former maritime entrance of Funchal, a witness of the fortifications of the city. The Portas da Cidade recall the maritime and defensive past of the city. It is a stop for lovers of history, to be explored on foot near the seafront.

Practical information

The Portas da Cidade lie in the heart of Funchal, near the seafront, reachable on foot. It is an open-air monument, freely visible at all times from the public space. You discover them during a walk between the port and the centre.

From when do the Portas da Cidade date?

From the end of the seventeenth century; they recall the former sea gate through which you entered Funchal, then protected by fortifications.

Where are the Portas da Cidade?

In the heart of Funchal, near the seafront, in Madeira.