Three historic bridges in Funchal

foto: Madeira Antiga

Early in January the Funchal council classified three bridges built in the heart of the city: since this date, the bridges Nova, D Manuel and São Paulo are protected sites.

The first bridges in Funchal were made of wood, and allowed people to cross the rivers over which the city is built – especially in rainy periods, because in normal circumstances, with the rivers not being channeled, it was quite easy to cross them. According to some sources, these were very light structures, and some couldn’t even be used by larger pack animals. Two are referred to in city records, namely the bridge at Santa Maria do Calhau (close to the present day market) and Cadeira (jailhouse) (apparently connecting rua Direita with rua dos Ferreiros).

After the big flood of 1803, the Portuguese government dispatched general Reinaldo Oudinot, to channel the rivers and thus avoid what was quickly becoming a cyclic disaster. It is as a consequence of the remarkable work developed under the guidance of this man that Funchal has avoided many floods, but the consequence of the channeling is that bridges become more necessary than ever.

Most of the more emblematic bridges of the Funchal have their origin in this structuring enterprise, and we are specifically referring to the bridges of São Paulo (in São João), and Nova (over Ribeira de Santa Luzia). The D Manuel bridge was ordered by D Manuel de Portugal e Castro, governor of Madeira between 1823 and 1825.

In the photo, see the bridges existing at the time: Ponte Nova, ponte do Bom Jesus, and further away the bridge leading to rua do Carmo. Rua fernao de Ornelas wasn’t opened until much later.

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