Between the Discoveries... 600 years of a larger Europe
P U R P O S E O F T H E C O U R S E
- Travel along the past and the time of discoveries until now;
- Professional development and adventure in Madeira Island;
- Cience and History;
- Portuguese culture, food, dance, nature and landscape;
- Making friends for future projects.
P R O G R A M S T R U C T U R E
The proposal to carry out such an action takes particular attention at the moment when The 600th anniversary of Madeira is celebrated.
It is one of the most beautiful pages in history of Europe, Portugal and Humanity, time of overseas exploration, human overcoming and technological development, unprecedented so far. The Age of Discovery is presented in the course “Between the Discoveries ... 600 years of a larger Europe ”as the genesis of the European continent that we know today and which we continue to build every day.
Get to know Madeira Island, Porto Santo Island and their historical heritage, ethnographic, cultural and scientific references lead us to a better understanding of Europe, the adopted academic curricula and the course of science over the centuries.
In parallel, the course “Between the Discoveries ... 600 years of a larger Europe” integrates It programs the possibility of participating in one of the largest tourist posters of the region at cultural and artistic.
M A D E I R A I S L A N D
In the middle of the Atlantic, the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo are a haven of natural beauty.
Between the blue of the sea and the green of the vegetation stands out the exotic colorful of the flowers, in a archipelago in which two thirds are protected area. Aiming at safeguarding this vast Natural Heritage, the Madeira Natural Park was created in 1982, in which we can find a unique flora and fauna with some rare specimens.
Therefore it was not surprising when UNESCO has included this island in the list of World Heritage. The peculiar orography of this The archipelago combined with the diversity of land and landscape richness makes it possible to of outdoor activities. Not to forget these moments, the camera is really mandatory.
A good climate and natural beauty make the Madeira archipelago a safe choice for visit anytime of the year. In addition to nature walks, outdoor activities And on a tour of the island, be sure to make an itinerary through the city of Funchal.
Exploring the North Coast of the Island - Its Natural Origin Leaving Funchal to the west, we discover the typical fishing village of Câmara de Lobos and the Cape Girão, the highest headland in Europe and the second highest in the world - 580 m. The trip It heads towards S. Vicente on a road dotted with waterfalls, from where the contrast of the majestic green with the crystal blue of the sea waters. Here we can visit the Caves and the Volcanism Center or simply stroll the alleys of the friendly village. We head towards Porto Moniz and regain strength in an invigorating dive in the Famous rock pools. Meeting the first Browsers In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 11 km long and 6 km wide, Porto Santo is from long dubbed Golden Island, because of its extensive and fantastic 9 km of long, thin and silky sandy beach, bathed by turquoise waters.
Porto Santo has a moderate climate throughout the year and with a sea temperature that oscillates between 17ºC and 22ºC, making this island never lose its charm even in the winter months.
F U N C H A L
The best way to visit Funchal's historic city center is by foot. During this tour, the Sé stands out, with its gothic structure built in the 16th century. We also recommend visiting the Church of the College, with its sober facade hiding a lush interior rich in gilded woodwork, 17th century altarpieces and tile panels.
Opposite is the Museum of Sacred Art, whose collection highlights the core of Flemish art 15th-16th centuries, testimony of commercial contacts with Flanders, where sugar cane grown on the island was sent and sold.
To taste this and other local flavors, we will have plenty to occupy the senses at the Mercado dos Lavradores: from exotic fruits to deliciousness honey cake, not to mention handicraft shops, flower sellers dressed in traditional costumes, and the lively fish stalls.
This is where we learn all about the beautiful embroidery pieces delicate, and on the liqueur wine that gained fame in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, being very appreciated in the European courts.
Madeira
"We passed the great island of Madeira, Which of the much grove it is called;
Of which we populated the first,
More famous by name than by fame.
But not because the world is the last,
If you benefit from how many Venus you love.
Before, this being yours, had forgotten, From Cypro, Guido, Paphos and Cythera. "
"The Lusiadas", Luis de Camões
Madeira
"Passamos a grande Ilha da Madeira,
Que do muito arvoredo assim se chama; Das que nós povoamos a primeira,
Mais célebre por nome do que por fama. Mas nem por ser do mundo a derradeira, Se lhe avantajam quantas vénus ama . Antes, sendo esta sua, se esquecera,
De Cypro, Guido, Paphos e Cythera."
"Os Lusiadas", Luis de Camões
H I S T O R I C A L F R A M E W O R K
In 1418, the Portuguese navigators, João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira arrived at Porto Santo Island, first of Portuguese overseas discoveries. Having been diverted due to strong winds from its west coast exploration route, Porto Santo Island gave them a safe haven, thus earning its name.
Madeira Island was discovered by Portuguese sailors Tristan Vaz Teixeira, Bartolomeu Perestrelo and João Gonçalves Zarco in 1419, who nicknamed the island 'Madeira' (that means wood) due to the abundance of this raw material. Around 1425, the colonization of the islands began by order of the king D. João I. From 1440 the regime of the captaincies is established being named Tristao Vaz Teixeira as the donee captain of the Machico captaincy; six more years later, Bartolomeu Perestrelo becomes the donor-captain of Porto Santo, and in 1450 Zarco is appointed donee captain of the Funchal captaincy.
The first settlers were the three donee captains and their families, a small group of people of the nobility, people of modest conditions and some former prisoners of Kingdom. To obtain minimum conditions for the development of agriculture on the island, the settlers had to clear a portion of the dense forest and build a large number water channels, called levadas, to transport the abundant waters off the coast north to the south coast of the island. In the early days, fish and vegetables were the main livelihoods. of the villagers.
P O R T O S A N T O
The origin of his name is not consensual and there are two theories that, although different, differing as regards the circumstances underlying the attribution of the name “Porto Santo”: first of most legendary character, while the second is based on historical records.
According to the first, based on the popular version dating back to 1418, Zarco and his when they arrived on the island, they would have given it their name out of gratitude, since it would have offered them refuge in the course of a terrible storm.
Already the second version, historically argued, points to the Low Middle Ages, according to which a The vessel would have found a safe harbor on this island after a violent storm. Would you like This means that before the Portuguese began their settlement in 1418, it was already this small island was called Porto Santo.
In short, both theses converge on the event that gave rise to the name “Porto Santo”, however, distinguishing itself in the date and origin of the navigators On this island a port of salvation. In 1446, Infante Dom Henrique appointed Bartolomeu Perestrelo as governor of the island, giving reasons for becoming famous: Perestrelo's daughter came to marry Christopher Columbus, who Here he spent some time on this island preparing the great voyage of the Discovery of America.
Nowadays you can visit the 15th century house that Christopher Columbus once lived. Located in Vila Baleira, displays portraits of Colombo and also maps with the different routes through it. traveled
P O R T O S A N T O I N T H E C O N T E X T O F P O R T U G U E S E E X P A N S I O N
Porto Santo will make an important contribution to Italian textile manufacturing by providing a very dyed raw material: “dragon's blood” or dragon tree sap, also with applications in the field of pharmacopoeia.
No wonder the island of Porto Santo already is marked with the same name in Italian and with cartographic rigor on Italian-Aragonese maps since the fourteenth century.
We can consider the first economic cycle of Porto Santo as the “dragon cycle”, a remarkable reference in the early days of overseas expansion European In fact, European expansion is the beginning of a world in increasing “globalization”, although with diversified protagonisms: Italian and Flemish cities, Castile, Portugal, England, France, the Netherlands. In the 16th century, the exhaustion of Porto Santo's dragon forest is almost complete.
The integration of the island into the process of European expansion, with a growing predominance of Castile Portugal is entering another “economic cycle”: the use of land for cereal cultivation, an essential product for European food consumption. Porto Santo This cycle comes into focus: barley cultivation will allow easy Portuguese squares of North Africa, whose “offensive defense” was based on cavalry.
The excellent quality of the barley produced has made it even the basis for feeding of demanding royal stud houses in the 15th and 16th centuries, of the royal reposte in guaranteeing the use, being attentive to its annual production. Apart from its economic importance, Porto Santo also stands out as a first Protection line of the Madeira Archipelago, with priority being given to the presence of corsairs, and also as a reference point for the Atlantic navigation that demanded the coast Africa, India, the Cape Route, or Brazil.
The silhouette of the small island, even when not used as a shelter or a watery port, gave comfort to the psychological stability of the seafarers, still trapped in the reflections of primordial Mediterranean cabotage. Feel possible ground support, even from a small island, in the middle of the vast ocean, was welcome.
P R O G R A M M E
• 17/02/2020 - Monday
o Introduction
o Workshop about the course agenda
o Welcome Dinner
• 18/02/2020 - Tuesday
o Funchal - story and heritage
o Republic, militar and religious representation in an autonomous region.
o The comerce of sugar, wine and agriculture products.
o Corsairs and pirats in the Atlantic.
• 19/02/2020 - Wednesday
o The geographie, the vulcanism and the relation with the Ocean.
• 20/02/2020 - Thursday
o Cristovam Colombo at the Golden Island - Porto Santo
• 21/02/2020 - Friday
o Botanic of Madeira Vs botanic of the world.
o Culture, ethnography, tradition and mobility.
• 22/02/2020 - Saturday
o Water subsistance and management in an Island.
o Leveda walk
o Laurisilva Forest - Unesco Heritage
o Carnival
• 23/02/2020 - Sunday
o Course balance o Evaluation
U S E F U L L I N K S
C O U R S E F E E
The course fee includes:
o Course
o Hotel
o Meals
o Museums, monuments and gardens
o Teleferic and Sledges
o Boat trip to Porto Santo
o Carnival parade
Single room – 1100,00€
Double room – 995,00€
O I D (ORGANIZATION ID)
E10080563