In the city of Funchal and in all Madeira the water to irrigate lands is transported in channels, that we call "levadas", through the mountains and then distributed to the force of gravity by different houses. To divert water from its normal downward course, there are those covers that are placed in the "levada". There is a time for each person, according to the contract. Then the cover is removed and follows its route.
In the Rua de Santa Maria, the street of the painted doors in old town of Funchal we can find many things like this Art Gallery in an on old building.
This photo shows the results of some works in the "ribeiras" (streams). Because that, the sculptural core left the centre of Rotunda do Infante was temporarely removed like you can see.
A few days ago I showed the other side of the works on the coast of the Bay of Funchal. This photoh is more comprehensive and gives a bit the size of the work being done
Detail of the highway bridge over the Rua do Comboio. The creator of this bridge won an award for his work a few years ago.
A "quinta" (like a farm) in Monte that burned in a large fire. The Monte sits high atop the city of Funchal and there are many important quintas in the capital of Madeira. Formerly, who had more money and resided in the city center, they was vacationing in this location with a magnificent view of the city.
Statue erected in Santa Catarina Park in honor of Christopher Columbus who "discovered" America where the Indians were already living. The navigator will have had some familiar links with the city of Funchal.
With the works in "ribeiras" (streams) and protection of the central coast of the Funchal bay, the city lost some of its charm near the sea. What you see here in the sea did not exist before these works.
The most often do not look at the ground beneath our feet when we walk like this cover concerning the distribution of water through the Funchal city.