Câmara Municipal (City Hall), Funchal

The first Funchal town hall was built in 1486 on Duque Square. The town council moved several times afterward, finally settling in Cathedral Square in 1802. Still dissatisfied with the facilities, the council eventually purchased the Carvalhal Esmeraldo Palace in 1883, adjoining the present-day Municipal Square.

Francisco António Camara Leme built his home, the Carvalhal Esmeraldo Palace in 1758. Although the original structure dates from the mid-18th century, it was later remodeled by the renowned Portuguese architects Raul Lino and Carlos Ramos during intensive restoration works around 1940. Construction materials included masonry, stone, wood, cast iron, and decorative tiles.

As you approach the City Hall, pay attention to the impressive entrance doorway carved in gray stone. On the second floor, the reception area is lined with eleven windows, each with its own small balcony. The ground-floor windows retain 17th-century wrought-iron security gratings. From the entrance, an extravagant interior staircase leads to the central courtyard. Here visitors encounter the sculpture “Leda and the Swan”, created by Madeiran sculptor Germano José Salles. The sculpture depicts the myth in which Zeus, disguised as a swan, approaches Leda—an ancient legend long admired for its symbolism and dramatic narrative.