Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas

Museum in Funchal (Madeira)

CC BY-SA 2.0 / Michael Gaylard

Nestled along the steep Calçada de Santa Clara, the striking reddish-colored building commands attention and stands as a prominent example of urban civil architecture in the historic São Pedro area and the heart of Funchal. Known as Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas or Casa da Calçada, this remarkable structure was once the residence of the Condes da Calçada before becoming the property of Frederico de Freitas (1894-1978).

Frederico de Freitas, a Madeiran lawyer, notary, and avid collector, bequeathed his extensive art collection to the Autonomous Region of Madeira in 1978. Today, the Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas houses an indispensable collection of art, including sculpture, painting, engravings, furniture, ceramics, crystals, and pewter objects, originating from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

The engravings within the museum offer a significant glimpse into regional culture, serving as crucial iconographic sources from the 18th and 19th centuries. Predominantly featuring religious themes in sculptures and paintings, the museum project reached its culmination in 1999 with the completion of Casa dos Azulejos. This additional space was specifically constructed to showcase the eclectic collection of tiles within the Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas.

The Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Funchal (Madeira)!

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