The History of the Parish of Monte, one of the most beautiful places in the city of Funchal 😊😊

The History of the Parish of Monte, one of the most beautiful places in the city of Funchal 😊😊

Monte, initially called Nossa Senhora do Monte, is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Funchal, with an area of ​​18.65 km² and 5,794 inhabitants (2021 census). Its population density is 310.7 inhabitants/km².

It is located at latitude 32.667 (32°40') North and longitude 16.9 (16°54') West. The parish includes some of the northern slopes of the Funchal amphitheatre, and is at an altitude of between 314 metres and 1,300 metres from Poiso. Its main road connects Funchal to Faial.

The central area of ​​Monte is located in and around Largo da Fonte (~540 metres alt.). In this area you will find the famous church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, the starting point for the traditional basket carts, the magnificent Monte gardens and the old railway station that served Monte on the route that connected downtown Funchal to Terreiro da Luta.

The parish of Nossa Senhora do Monte was created in 1565.

Throughout the second half of the 19th century, like Sintra, under the Germanic influence of Ferdinand II of Portugal, it became a romantic retreat for the wealthy families of Funchal, who preferred a cooler climate in the summer. The numerous “leisure farms” – houses surrounded by gardens and parks, and with stunning views over the bay of Funchal – that distinguish the parish date back to this period. Some of them can be visited today.

This is the case of Quinta Jardins do Imperador, the last residence of Charles I of Austria, who chose to live in Monte during the exile he was forced into following the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the time, the farm was called Quinta Cossart, after a previous owner, and was given to the imperial family in exile by the Rocha Machado family, who had since acquired it.

The Emperor is buried in the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte. His heart, following tradition, is deposited on imperial land.

For those interested in the connection between Monte and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, we recommend reading A Corte do Norte by Agustina Bessa-Luís, adapted for film by João Botelho.

Like Sintra, Monte also attracted artists, and some lived on some of its farms.

The painter Martha Telles spent her childhood summers on the family farm with her brother António da Cunha Teles, a filmmaker. Agustina Bessa-Luís describes those summers in the book Martha Telles, O castelo onde irás e não voltas.

Lurdes de Castro also lived on Quinta Cossart, courtesy of the Regional Government, which bought it from the previous owners.

The poet Herberto Hélder is another of the great names associated with Monte.

From 1850 onwards, a new way of quickly transporting wealthy people from Monte to Funchal emerged: the Monte basket cars, wicker sofas, upholstered in chintz, on wooden runners covered in oiled leather, gliding, by the force of gravity and controlled by ropes, behind two drivers on foot, the “carreiros”. 3 km of adventure. The climb continued to take time and ox-drawn carts.

Until the end of the 19th century, when the Monte Railway began operating, later extended to Terreiro da Luta (at an altitude of around 850 metres). It was deactivated during the Second World War, but to this day, the Caminho do Comboio owes its name. And one of the main characters in Helena Marques’s O Bazar Alemão continues to use it with each new reader.

Nowadays, the connection is also provided by cable car.

The Mount has always been one of the main tourist attractions on the island, of which there are many. Winston Churchill always preferred Câmara de Lobos for his watercolors.

On August 15, 2017, during the festivities of the patron saint, Nossa Senhora do Monte, a large tree fell on Largo da Fonte, killing thirteen people and injuring another fifty.[7] The accident occurred when the procession was preparing to leave, and the place was full of people, especially pilgrims who were buying candles to fulfill their promises.[8] The tree, a large, century-old oak tree of the Quercus robur species, located in the upper part of Leite Monteiro Park, had been showing signs of decay for many years, with the inside of the trunk completely rotten and mineralized.[9][10] The Government Council, meeting in plenary session, declared regional mourning for the following three days.[7] On August 17, the Portuguese Government declared national mourning for the following day, coinciding with the funerals of the victims of the accident.