Chapel of Santa Catarina

With nearly 600 years of history, the Chapel of Santa Catarina is considered one of the oldest chapels on the island of Madeira. It is part of a park with the same name, Santa Catarina Park, which covers an area of 36,000 square metres. In addition to this small temple, you can also see two fascinating works of art during your visit: next to the main entrance you'll find a sculpture in honour of Prince Henry the Navigator. Above, in the highest part of the garden, you can see a sculpture by Madeiran artist Francisco Franco: O Semeador (The Sower).

The construction of this chapel was encouraged by Mrs Constança Rodrigues de Almeida, wife of the first donee captain of Funchal, João Gonçalves Zarco. The architecture of the Chapel of Santa Catarina is based on the best of the regional 17th-century tradition, with a splendid portal, typical of the island's mannerism, and a porch with red stonework columns. Also noteworthy is the holy water font, an artefact dating from the early 16th century.