Cais da Pontinha
The Pontinha quay in Funchal, built 1876–78 and improved with the breakwater works, with notes on earlier landing steps and a private quay of the Blandy firm.
It was built from 1876 to 1878 and improved at the time of the works on the mole (breakwater). Near the Pontinha fort (Forte da Pontinha) there were once some steps cut into the cliff (rocha) and a long footing of alvenaria (local name for compact basalt used as building stone), where it was possible to land in calm weather. These steps may have belonged to the stairway that existed there in 1817, to which Paulo Dias de Almeida refers in a work he wrote on Madeira.
At Pontinha there was also a wooden stairway for passengers embarking and landing, which was replaced in 1850 or 1851 by a stairway cut into the cliff; and beside the Ilhéu (‘islet’) there is a stairway for the use of the soldiers and the lighthouse staff.
A little short of the passenger landing quay (cais) at the locality (sítio) of Pontinha stands another, built some 20 years ago for the use of the Blandy firm (Casa Blandy). This firm had originally had a wooden quay for the same purposes as the present one near the old Fort of São José (St Joseph), now demolished.
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Places mentioned · 05- Cais da Pontinha · Subject
Funchal
The Pontinha quay in Funchal, built in 1876–78 and improved with the breakwater works. It was the landing place of notable visitors including the Empress of Austria and the Unknown Soldier's remains in 1921, and the terminus of a water supply for shipping.
- Fort of Pontinha
Funchal. Fort beside which old rock-cut landing steps existed.
Fort beside which old rock-cut landing steps existed.
- Fort of São José
Funchal. Destroyed fort near which Blandy's first wooden quay stood.
Name recorded for two forts. In Funchal, a small, since destroyed fort stood on the inner Pontinha islet, which was linked to the shore c.1757–1762, and Blandy's first wooden quay stood near it. The Elucidário's own entry describes a fort on Porto Santo built on Pombal's orders, sold at auction in 1923 and now owned by the Porto Santo water company.
- Ilhéu da Pontinha
Funchal. Islet with a stair for soldiers and lighthouse staff.
An islet at the western end of the accessible landing shore of the port of Funchal. It has a stair for soldiers and lighthouse staff, and was the proposed site of a fixed light in 1861.
- Pontinha
Machico. Site of the passenger quay and earlier stairs.
The Pontinha is the coastal projection at the western end of Funchal bay, originally called Ilhéus after two rocky islets later joined to the shore by walls and by the breakwater completed in 1889. The Elucidário traces its forts, chapel, lighthouse, passenger quay and road, storm damage in 1757 and 1892, and the maritime disinfection station there from 1901. It was the landing place of notable visitors such as the nuncio and the Archduchess Leopoldina. A locality of the same name is also listed among the main localities of Machico parish.
People
People mentioned · 01-
Author of a work on Madeira mentioning a landing stair at Pontinha in 1817.