Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 32.71875899212742, -16.76612535238915

Machico's mother church, whose patron saint is Nossa Senhora da Conceição, was built in the first quarter of the 15th century.

In 1460 it was already a parish church, its first parish priest being João Garcia. The people say that the church of Machico began to be built by the will of the people and its captain. For this reason, it does not bear the coat of arms of the crown, as it appears in the oldest churches. . According to tradition, it is also said that D. Manuel I offered the image of the “Immaculate Conception”, known as the “Virgin of D. Manuel” from a Flemish workshop, today in the Museum of Sacred Art in Funchal.

The church has three interior chapels. The oldest one belongs to S. João Batista, built by Tristão Vaz Teixeira, the 2nd donated captain of Machico, known as “Tristão das Damas”, in 1496. There is the chapel of Reis Magos, built by the daughter of the 1st donated captain, D. Branca Teixeira, at the end of the 15th century. This chapel had an altarpiece representing the “Adoration of the Magi”, dating from the 16th century, today in the Sacred Art Museum in Funchal. It was also the Chapel of S. Sacramento until the 1940s. We can still see remains of the dividing door and Eucharistic symbols on the altar. Under the floor of this chapel are remains of standard polychrome tiles from the 17th century. Another chapel is that of Espírito Santo, built by Sebastião de Morais in the mid-16th century. It has two oil paintings on wood, “Santíssima Trindade” and “Pentecostes”. There was also an oil painting on wood on the altar of this chapel of the “Last Supper”, but which is now in the parish registry office. All of them are dated 1550 and attributed to Diogo de Contreiras. There is also the altar of S. Francisco Xavier, established by Canon Manuel Pereira de Castro, parish priest of Machico, in 1715. · On the side of the ambo we have the collateral altar of the Heart of Jesus, with an image of St. wood from the 17th or 18th century and an image of the Heart of Mary and the image of St. Francis of Assisi is on the altar. On the opposite side there is a painting on canvas “As Almas do Purgatório”, an image of Nossa Senhora do Carmo and Nossa Senhora de Fátima and Santo António de Lisboa. · In 1747, the Mother Church of Machico was compared to the Cathedral of Funchal for its grandeur and quality. In fact, the altarpiece, the chairs and the organ give it a grand grandeur. The retable of the main altar in gilded carving executed between 1675 and 1698. In the center is a tondo with the Holy Trinity in polychrome relief.

It features four niches like the four evangelists with their tetramorphic symbols. The carving and sculptures are attributed to the Madeiran Manuel Pereira or his nephew Manuel Pereira de Almeida. On the main altar there is a 17th-century gilded carved tabernacle. At the entrance to the dressing room there is an image of the Immaculate Conception, in upholstered, polychrome and gilded wood, from the 17th century. In the dressing room, there is a eucharistic throne with five steps in the shape of a pyramid in gilded and polychrome carving from the 18th century. In the chancel there is a dark wooden bench, topped with gilded carving, with a painting of the twelve Apostles on the back, dating from the 18th century or early 19th century. · In the sacristy we can see ashlars of polychrome tiles from the 16th century, a camellia pattern, very rare in Madeira. · At the main entrance of the church we can see six tombstones, in stone, five of which have inscriptions, identifying wealthy people from Machico and another piece that attests to the reuse of this material and which was transferred here during some works that took place in the 18th century and XIX. At the entrance to the side door we can also see another tombstone rest. · On the left wall of the church entrance there is a painting on canvas from a regional workshop from the 18th century, featuring the “Tree of Jessé”: it is the largest existing canvas on this island of Madeira. · On the south façade of the church is the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Terço, where Machico's Treasury Room is now located. It was built by the people in 1770. · The main church of Machico is rich in artistic and catechetical heritage in a city located by the sea where mass was celebrated for the first time in this pearl of the Atlantic, on July 2, 1419.

Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 32.71875899212742, -16.76612535238915

Machico's mother church, whose patron saint is Nossa Senhora da Conceição, was built in the first quarter of the 15th century.

In 1460 it was already a parish church, its first parish priest being João Garcia. The people say that the church of Machico began to be built by the will of the people and its captain. For this reason, it does not bear the coat of arms of the crown, as it appears in the oldest churches. . According to tradition, it is also said that D. Manuel I offered the image of the “Immaculate Conception”, known as the “Virgin of D. Manuel” from a Flemish workshop, today in the Museum of Sacred Art in Funchal.

The church has three interior chapels. The oldest one belongs to S. João Batista, built by Tristão Vaz Teixeira, the 2nd donated captain of Machico, known as “Tristão das Damas”, in 1496. There is the chapel of Reis Magos, built by the daughter of the 1st donated captain, D. Branca Teixeira, at the end of the 15th century. This chapel had an altarpiece representing the “Adoration of the Magi”, dating from the 16th century, today in the Sacred Art Museum in Funchal. It was also the Chapel of S. Sacramento until the 1940s. We can still see remains of the dividing door and Eucharistic symbols on the altar. Under the floor of this chapel are remains of standard polychrome tiles from the 17th century. Another chapel is that of Espírito Santo, built by Sebastião de Morais in the mid-16th century. It has two oil paintings on wood, “Santíssima Trindade” and “Pentecostes”. There was also an oil painting on wood on the altar of this chapel of the “Last Supper”, but which is now in the parish registry office. All of them are dated 1550 and attributed to Diogo de Contreiras. There is also the altar of S. Francisco Xavier, established by Canon Manuel Pereira de Castro, parish priest of Machico, in 1715. · On the side of the ambo we have the collateral altar of the Heart of Jesus, with an image of St. wood from the 17th or 18th century and an image of the Heart of Mary and the image of St. Francis of Assisi is on the altar. On the opposite side there is a painting on canvas “As Almas do Purgatório”, an image of Nossa Senhora do Carmo and Nossa Senhora de Fátima and Santo António de Lisboa. · In 1747, the Mother Church of Machico was compared to the Cathedral of Funchal for its grandeur and quality. In fact, the altarpiece, the chairs and the organ give it a grand grandeur. The retable of the main altar in gilded carving executed between 1675 and 1698. In the center is a tondo with the Holy Trinity in polychrome relief.

It features four niches like the four evangelists with their tetramorphic symbols. The carving and sculptures are attributed to the Madeiran Manuel Pereira or his nephew Manuel Pereira de Almeida. On the main altar there is a 17th-century gilded carved tabernacle. At the entrance to the dressing room there is an image of the Immaculate Conception, in upholstered, polychrome and gilded wood, from the 17th century. In the dressing room, there is a eucharistic throne with five steps in the shape of a pyramid in gilded and polychrome carving from the 18th century. In the chancel there is a dark wooden bench, topped with gilded carving, with a painting of the twelve Apostles on the back, dating from the 18th century or early 19th century. · In the sacristy we can see ashlars of polychrome tiles from the 16th century, a camellia pattern, very rare in Madeira. · At the main entrance of the church we can see six tombstones, in stone, five of which have inscriptions, identifying wealthy people from Machico and another piece that attests to the reuse of this material and which was transferred here during some works that took place in the 18th century and XIX. At the entrance to the side door we can also see another tombstone rest. · On the left wall of the church entrance there is a painting on canvas from a regional workshop from the 18th century, featuring the “Tree of Jessé”: it is the largest existing canvas on this island of Madeira. · On the south façade of the church is the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Terço, where Machico's Treasury Room is now located. It was built by the people in 1770. · The main church of Machico is rich in artistic and catechetical heritage in a city located by the sea where mass was celebrated for the first time in this pearl of the Atlantic, on July 2, 1419.