Heritage in Ribeira Brava
The assets of Ribeira Brava is protected by your taillight and its strong, they do always, preserving the memory of its history and traditions of its people.
Madeira Ethnographic Museum – is the property that belonged to the Convent of Santa Clara, in the seventeenth century, which then passed to Jose Maria Barreto, the last administrator of the bond of St. Joseph, who in 1853 became the solar ruined an industrial unit, and in 1862, it was set up a mill to grind sugarcane by animal traction, and brandy distilling alembic. In 1996, the Regional Government of Madeira installed this museum here, designed by architect João Francisco Caires, this museum presents all research, documentation, conservation and disseminates culture and ethnography of the Madeiran population, a collection with thematic collections with the most diverse social aspects, economic and cultural of the Madeira Archipelago. In the permanent exhibition area are the issues related to productive activities such as fishing, wine production, cereals and flax, transport, households, like the kitchen and the bedroom, and traditional commerce, such as the grocery store. It is open from Tuesday to Friday from 9h30 to 17h30 and end-of-week from 10.00 to 12.30, closing on Mondays and holidays.
Mansion of Herédias – an ancient house of the founder of this county and Visconde da Ribeira Brava, Francisco Correia Heredia, this secular heritage of the late seventeenth century and early nineteenth century houses, currently the headquarters of the Municipality of the town. Inside is a garden with a diversity of natural species. This century-old building is classified as Municipal Interest Monument since 1994. Open Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 13h00 and from 14h00 to 17h30 and closed on Sundays and holidays.
Fort of São Bento – in order to protect the coastline and the harbor, this strong fulfills its mission since the year 1708, when Sodre Pereira defended the people against corsairs and pirates attacks. Over the years, the level of degradation has evolved, until in 1916 began the recovery works. In 1920, it was leased to the Municipality of Ribeira Brava, in order to have the arrest function. Currently, this strong is adapted to the surrounding environment, both aesthetically and functional level, and the Tourist Information, open Monday to Friday from 10h00 to 15h30 and Saturday from 10h00 to 12h30, ending the Sunday and holidays.
Taillight of Ribeira Brava – 6 meters high, this lighthouse has the function to guide and help fishermen and their boats. This is on top of a promontory on the right margin of the village of Ribeira Brava. The access is by a modern metal spiral staircase.
St. Benedict Church – one of the oldest rural churches of the Diocese of Funchal and one of the most visited on the island of Madeira, this was classified as a Public Interest. Erected in the XVI century on a fifteenth century chapel, this was undergoing changes and interventions over the centuries, keeping the Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque features, this houses a collection of paintings, sculpture, jewelery and gilded the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries , becoming one of the leading property sets the region, including, its collection was exhibited at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Brussels. Inside stands out a collection of pieces in silver from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a monumental Flemish image of Our Lady of the Rosary and 1520 panels of Flemish origin of the Virgin and Child flanked by St. Benedict and St. Bernard. Now your main chapel contains a gilded altarpiece and polychrome of the late seventeenth century. The celebration in honor of its patron, St. Benedict is celebrated on 21 March. This church is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 7.30 to 18.00, closing on Monday.