This is almost five times more than what was asked for at the end of 2021 when it was purchased by a businessman.

It was in 2009 that the old Funchal prison, located in the Viveiros area, was deactivated by a decision of the Council of Ministers. At the time, the prisoners were transferred to the Funchal Prison, in Cancela, according to Jornal da Madeira.

Later, at the end of 2021, the building was put up for sale for 520 thousand euros. And it ended up being bought by businessman Paulo Fernandes, from the company Conta Mais Certa, who intended to transform the space into a higher education institution. But the project did not move forward.

Now, the same businessman has put this old prison in Madeira up for sale again for almost five times more: 2.8 million euros. The building covers 1,908 square meters (m2) of gross area and 1,459 m2 of land and is located on Rua Arcebispo D. Aires, in the Viveiros region.

The building is being promoted by local real estate agencies due to its “enormous potential” to become a tourist development in Funchal, although a residential building could also be built there, says the same newspaper.