Quinta Vigia

Quinta Vigia
Quinta Vigia's main façade as seen from the gardens
Former names	Quinta das Angústias Quinta Lambert
Record height
General information
Type	Quinta
Architectural style	Baroque Neoclassic
Location	Funchal
Address	Av. do Infante 1, 9000-015 Funchal
Country	Portugal
Coordinates	32°38′42″N 16°54′57″E
Elevation	40 m
Current tenants	Miguel Albuquerque, President of the Regional Government of Madeira
Groundbreaking	Unknown
Construction started	Unknown
Owner	Regional Government of Madeira
Technical details
Floor area	10 000 m2
Website
https://www.madeira.gov.pt/presidencia

Quinta Vigia, also known as Quinta das Angústias and Quinta Lambert, is a quinta located in the city of Funchal, on the island of Madeira, which serves as the official residence and office of the President of the Regional Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

History

During the 19th century several illustrious personalities[1] passed through or lived in this quinta, due to several reasons.

Guests	Period of Stay	Reason of Stay
Maximilian, Duke of Leuchtenberg	1849-1850	Attempt to treat illness.
Amélie, Empress of Brazil and Duchess of Braganza	August 1852 - February 1853	Attempt to treat tuberculosis.
Maria Amélia, Princess of Brazil
Auguste, Duke of Leuchtenberg and Santa Cruz	1834-1835	Stopover from his voyage from Brazil to Portugal.
Josephine, Queen of Norway and Sweden	unknown	unknown
Karl Briullov	1849-1850	Attending Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg.
Adelaide, Queen of the United Kingdom	1847	Attempt to treat illness.
Elizabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary	1860	Attempt to treat illness.
King Luis of Portugal	1860	Visit to the Empress Elizabeth of Austria.
Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg	1885	Tourism
Karl Karlovich, Count of Lambert	1864	Acquisition and ownership of the quinta.

The original name of this quinta was Quinta das Angústias, due to having a chapel dating from the 17th century that invoked Our Lady of Anguish.

Shortly thereafter Count Lambert, former field aide to the Russian empress, acquired the farm, having changed its name to Quinta Lambert. The farm returned to its old name Quinta das Angústias when it was acquired by Madeiran João Paulo de Freitas in 1903.

Official residency

In 1979, when the Autonomy had already been implemented in Madeira, the property was purchased by the Regional Government. For some time, its facilities were used to house the Madeira Conservatory of Music, until it was transferred to the old Hotel Nova Avenida in 1981. The quinta was renamed "Quinta Vigia" in 1982, after the original Quinta Vigia, located nearby and on the site of the current Hotel Pestana Casino Park, had disappeared.

After works in its gardens, chapel and palace, the quinta was inaugurated as a residence. of the President of the Government on May 2, 1984.[2] The gardens of the farm are open to the public, being mainly visited by foreign tourists. The farm also offers a beautiful view over the bay of Funchal.

References

1. "quinta vigia". Aprender Madeira (in European Portuguese). 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
2. "Resolução n.º 444/82, do Governo Regional da Madeira (JORAM I Série, n.º 17/1982, de 17 Junho, p. 243)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-05-13.