Funchal Painted Doors: Street Art in Madeira, Funchal, Portugal

I hadn’t really expected to find a lot of street art in Madeira, but when I walked through the old town of Funchal the art was everywhere, with eye-catching designs on seemingly every available door, wall or window. This is the work of the Funchal Painted Doors Project, an innovative attempt to revive a neglected part of the city.

Historically the old town (Zona Velha de Funchal) was where the merchants lived, in tall houses close to the seaport that handled the island’s Atlantic trade. However, by the beginning of the 21st century the area had become quite run down. Rents were low and landlords were reluctant to invest in improving or maintaining the properties. And, although it was close to the seafront, the old town tended to be ignored by tourists.

This all began to change in 2010 when Jose Zyberchema launched the Funchal Painted Doors Project. His aim was to revitalise the Zone Velha by bringing art to the area. He contacted a number of artists and they set to work painting the doors of the houses with all manner of quirky designs.

You’ll find most of the painted doors in the Rua de Santa Maria. However there are also a few in the side streets and on the parallel Rua Dom Carlos, close to the seafront. There are no rules about what can be painted, or who can contribute to the project, meaning that there is a remarkable variety of subjects and styles. There are currently around 200 painted doors, transforming the area into a kind of outdoor art gallery. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).