Paços do Concelho (Câmara Municipal do Funchal)

The palace that dominates Praça do Município was built in 1758 as the residence of the Count of Carvalhal, passed through several hands and was bought in 1883 by the municipality, which has sat here ever since. Altered but faithful to its original design, it is a harmonious example of late-18th-century architecture. Worth seeing: the landscaped inner courtyard, lined with Battistini tiles made in 1940 at the Maria de Portugal factory, and its fountain with a marble "Leda and the Swan" by Germano José Salles. The City Hall can be visited on weekdays on one-hour guided tours in several languages.