Terreiro da Luta

The locality (sítio) of Terreiro da Luta (‘ground of the fight’) lies in the parish (freguesia) of Monte (‘hill’), 850 metres above sea level. It was there that a pious legend placed the apparition of the Blessed Virgin (Santíssima Virgem) to a poor and innocent little shepherdess, as briefly related on page 438 of the 2nd volume.

From this spot there open out vast horizons of unsurpassed and incomparable beauty.

These astonishing panoramas so captivated the distinguished Madeiran Commander Manuel Gonçalves, director of the Monte Railway Company (Companhia do Caminho de Ferro do Monte), that he conceived the idea of extending the railway line to that picturesque spot and of building a large restaurant high up on the steep mountainside, which would become an obligatory attraction for Portuguese and foreigners alike. The undertaking was difficult and risky, but Commander Gonçalves’s tenacity, talent and enterprising spirit overcame every setback that arose. In a short space of time some 1,400 metres of track were laid across extremely rugged ground, and the fine and imposing building now known as the Restaurante-Esplanada do Terreiro da Luta was erected. The formal inauguration of this section of the railway and of the restaurant took place on 24 June 1912. (1921).

A small illustrated promotional leaflet contains a fine description of the site, from the pen of an illustrious Madeiran writer, which deserves to be preserved in these pages:

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The landscapes of Switzerland are famous, says the writer in question, for their heights and capricious relief, for their glaciers and exquisitely beautiful lakes; but the natural scenes of rugged Helvetia lack that majestic backdrop, full of grandeur, which leads us to the conception of immensity, the primordial source of life, in whose bosom life constantly multiplies and perpetuates itself: the mysterious ocean.

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Around the “Terreiro da Luta”, very high mountains rise to the north, east and west, the site itself being a mountain plateau covered with dense, fragrant pine woods; to the south, however, the bay of Funchal opens out, vast and smiling, spreading in a gentle curve from the projection of the Balancal in the east to the abrupt cliff of the highest promontory in the world: the famous Cabo Girão. ‘The eye, gradually leaving behind the wilder aspects of this singular landscape – unexpected, deep abysses and astonishing rises of slope and height, all covered with intertwining vegetation – descends by imperceptible degrees along the valley that opens at our feet, the Curral Velho (‘old fold’), and, passing over the tall bell towers of the white church, links us to civilisation: it passes over the orderly houses of the city, stretches out over the harbour, where warships and towering transatlantic liners lose their unsettling size, and reaches beyond to the vastness of the horizon, blending on the dazzled retina the indigo of the waters with the luminous blue of the sky.

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From this plateau one sees, to the east, the Pico do Infante, the Balancal, Choupana and São Gonçalo; to the south, Funchal and the broad harbour dotted with black by vessels of every kind; and, moving westwards, the parishes of São Martinho, São Roque, Santo António, Câmara de Lobos, Estreito and the Serras da Quinta Grande, whose ridge ends to the south in Cabo Girão and to the north in the Fontainhas, on the boundary of Câmara de Lobos.

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From the parish of Estreito one can partly see the famous “Jardim da Serra” (‘upland garden’) and the locality known as the “Boca dos Namorados” (‘lovers’ pass’).

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To the north the plateau falls away into a deep valley, the Curral do Leme (‘Leme’s fold’), followed by valley after valley, the ground rising little by little in folds covered with dense pine woods. On this side the “Terreiro da Luta” is surrounded, at the greatest heights, by the Serras do Monte, among them the Rebentão, at an altitude of 1,200 metres.

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The sunset seen from this incomparable spot produces truly indescribable effects. The slanting rays bring out the capricious ruggedness of the forms, doubling them with their long shadows; they define the many valleys, in so many shades of green, that stretch towards Câmara de Lobos, give relief to the peaks and knolls rising on that side, and leave the gigantic Girão in black silhouette beneath a fiery sky, dusting everything with a purplish tone that gives the landscape a fantastic, eminently theatrical appearance...

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It was at this enchanting spot, from which so many incomparable marvels may be enjoyed, that the Restaurante-Esplanada was built: a most elegant building in the style of the Swiss chalets, made entirely of reinforced concrete on the Hennebique system and measuring 37 metres in length by 16 in depth. To the south, in front of the building, stretches a covered terrace 46 metres long by 8 metres wide, where visitors, enjoying a panorama without rival, may take refreshment at the small tables scattered about it. Beyond the terrace lies the garden, spacious and planted with every specimen of the exuberant and varied ornamental flora that grows on this island.

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The vast Restaurant Hall is on the first floor, which also has a room for private dinners or intimate celebrations. On this same floor is the Winter Garden, delightful for its comfort and charming for the arrangement of its plants and for the refined taste of all its decorative fittings, which were specially acquired abroad from among the most modern available in this field.

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The Buffet and the American Bar each occupy spacious rooms on the first floor. ‘It is also in the corridor of this same floor that the “Lavatories and dressing rooms” are installed, meeting the refined and modern demands of comfort and hygiene.

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In the cellars are the drink stores, a refrigerator, provision stores, etc., and the kitchen, with a central range, a special stove for the grill-room service, a stove for warming crockery, and a lavish set of cookware all in copper and nickel.

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From the side tower, 10 metres high, the unequalled bird’s-eye view (à vol d’oiseau) enjoyed from the terrace or from any other point of the “Terreiro da Lucta” becomes even more striking.

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The building has steam heating for cold days and numerous fans for hot ones, and it is lit throughout by electric light.

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The installation of the Restaurante-Esplanada of Terreiro da Luta, due proportion being kept, was guided by the idea that it should in no case be inferior to the best and most modern establishments of its kind in Europe, with particular attention to the most scrupulous cleanliness and the utmost well-being of the visitor.

The now defunct Agricultural Board (Junta Agrícola) began to build a road intended to link Terreiro da Luta with Santo António da Serra (‘St Anthony of the uplands’). If this road is ever completed, it will allow Portuguese and foreigners alike to travel quickly to one of the most beautiful spots the island possesses. Had that body applied part of its substantial revenues to finishing the road, instead of acquiring upland commons (montados) and making other expenditure that was practically useless, we could today travel in about three hours to a place which, for its lovely landscapes and the freshness and greenness of its fields, fully deserves our admiration. (1921)

In a land such as Madeira, where nature everywhere appears to us in all its splendour, offering the visitor’s eyes panoramas whose description, as one writer put it, ‘is beyond the power of words and the vigour of the most skilful brush’, it is much to be regretted that roads are still so extremely backward, and that we can see and admire many of the chief natural beauties of our land only at the cost of danger and great sacrifice.

It is to Commander Manuel Gonçalves that we owe the inauguration of the first statue erected in Madeira. On climbing the short flight of steps leading to the Restaurant’s garden, one comes upon a fine bronze statue of João Gonçalves Zarco, showing the discoverer at the moment when, aboard the caravel under his command, he was approaching this then unknown island. This exquisite work is by the chisel of the award-winning artist Francisco Franco. (1921)

Someone had the happy idea of raising in this paradisiacal spot a grand monument in honour of Nossa Senhora da Paz (Our Lady of Peace). It consists of an exquisite marble statue set on a plinth flanked by artistic bronze bas-reliefs alluding to the traditional belief that the Most Holy Virgin appeared on that very spot. Attached to the monument stands a small, elegant chapel, where the holy sacrifice of the Mass and other acts of worship are frequently celebrated. The monument owes its erection to the ardent zeal and unremitting efforts of Father José Marques Jardim, who spared himself no sacrifice to give it the imposing and grand appearance that distinguishes it, even travelling abroad to raise donations so that the work could be carried out. The solemn inauguration, conducted with the greatest pomp and attended by thousands of people from every part of the island, took place under the presidency of the diocesan prelate on 14 August 1927. Because of the interest it adds to the account given in this article, we shall transcribe the record of the laying of the foundation stone, which was deposited in the cornerstone of the monument. ‘On the first day of the month of November in the year of Our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand nine hundred and twenty-three, in the pontificate of His Holiness Pius XI and the episcopate of His Most Reverend Excellency Dom António Manuel Pereira Ribeiro, His Excellency Mr Manuel Teixeira Gomes being President of the Portuguese Nation, and Mr Eduardo da Rocha Sarsfield Governor of this district of Funchal (Distrito do Funchal), at the locality (sítio) of Fonte da Telha (‘tile spring’), next to the Terreiro da Luta, the Foundation and Laying of the first stone of the Monument to Our Lady of the Mount (Nossa Senhora do Monte), Principal Patron of the city of Funchal and Secondary Patron of the whole Diocese, was carried out in the following manner:

After Mass had been celebrated at about nine in the morning in the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Mount, a grand procession was formed in the churchyard of that church. It was made up of the multitude of the faithful who, eager to glorify their heavenly Benefactress, had flocked from all over the Island, which is at once stirred whenever it is a matter of proclaiming the favour of Our Lady of the Mount.

Once they had set off in order, grouped by the various civil and religious associations, with groups of children from the schools and catechism classes bearing insignia, pennants and banners, it was wonderful to see them climbing the slope, singing hymns and prayers of thanksgiving for the countless favours that, in calamitous times, have always been promptly obtained through the intercession of the same Lady.

The miraculous Image, carried on its processional litter (andores) amid that whole multitude, thus made its triumphal ascent to the place where it had once regaled with sweets and heavenly fuchsias little Eva, the elder little sister of those girls who today come to recall, on this very spot, the scenes that took place here and which, who knows, they understand the better for their innocence.

Those who watched the Procession arrive at the lugar (settlement ranking between a town and a parish) set aside for the monument, and who attended the open-air Mass, accompanied throughout by the solemn sounds of the music mingled with the singing of thousands of lips, felt themselves lifted from the earth and, on those heights, nearer to heaven!

It was nothing strange! It was the gratitude pent up for more than three centuries in the throbbing heart of the Madeiran People, still barely healed of continual ills and horrors, bursting forth swiftly from the depths of the soul.

The last war had left them drained by tears, hunger and cruel alarms. They had been ground beneath the sinister millstone of the bombardment. Their sons – good priests, spirited officers and dutiful soldiers – went off to the war. The black wing of death brushed close by them. Their eyes, in a pitiful grimace of supplication, turned upwards, and the Virgin of Monte heard their prayer.

With the peace, Portuguese arms were also glorified. Who could set a barrier against this free will of the people to glorify their heroes and leave a commemorative pillar (padrão) to the vitality of their race, which, if at times it knew fear, never knew cowardice! Our Lady of the Mount is their Patron. The soul of our people is made of a clod of the Homeland and a breath of Faith. To destroy the latter is to dissolve the former. That is why the festivals of Religion here among us are the apotheosis of our Homeland and the glory of our warriors.

The Monument to Our Lady of the Mount, on the summit of this mountain, will be the consecration of their religious faith through the sincere affirmation of love for their Homeland.

The Monument to Our Lady of the Mount, as well as being a vow for the Peace of the World, is an act of thanksgiving for all past blessings. It is not yet traced in stone, nor does it yet rise in all its moving majesty before the eyes of passers-by, but it lives, full of splendour, in the soul of every Madeiran who conceives it and who will lend it the effort of their will and the offering of their never-surpassed generosity.

And so, in the presence of His Most Reverend Excellency the Lord Bishop of Funchal, the Civil Corporations, Catholic Associations, the Academy, the Press, the Classes, the Schools and a great gathering of the People, at four o’clock in the afternoon the foundation stone was laid with the Blessing of the Roman Pontifical, the proper ceremonies being observed as is customary on such occasions. His Most Reverend Excellency the Bishop struck the ritual blows with the hammer; His Excellency Dr Manuel Pestana Reis, at the invitation of the parish priest and representing the city, handed the trowel; and His Excellency Dr Romano de Santa Clara Gomes, representing the Madeiran People, served with the float.

And for the record this minute was drawn up in duplicate. After being signed by those present, the original was placed in an iron casket, together with newspapers of the day and coins of the period, beneath the foundation stone, and the copy was handed to His Most Reverend Excellency the Bishop, to be kept in the archive of the Diocesan Chancery (Câmara Eclesiástica). Fonte da Telha, in the parish (freguesia) of Nossa Senhora do Monte (‘Our Lady of the Mount’), 1 November 1923.’