Towns & villages · 5 m above the sea
Forte de São Tiago
1614 red fort guarding the old town seafront, grounds open to walk any time
See it on the 3D islandOpens in your browser, on a phone or a computer.
The place
Built in 1614 to defend Funchal from pirates and rival European fleets, this ochre-red fort anchors the seaward end of Rua de Santa Maria. It housed Madeira's Museum of Contemporary Art from 1994 until the collection moved to Calheta in 2015, and while that museum is gone, the ramparts and grounds remain open to wander for free, with some of the best photo angles on the old town's rooftops and the sea beyond.
When to come
Late afternoon light for photos of the fort against the sea
Worth knowing
- Grounds open to the public at any time, free
- Tv. do Forte 8, Zona Velha
- No permanent museum since 2015 — check locally for temporary exhibitions
- 5-minute walk from Barreirinha and O Jango