The square was named in honor of the 15th-century navigator Christopher Columbus, who is said to have lived in a house located on the same site during his stay in Madeira in 1498.

The Cathedral of Funchal, or Parish Church of the Sé, or Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (construction began around 1493), is a religious temple located in the city of Funchal.

Renowned for possessing one of the richest and most valuable collections of 17th-century gilded wood carving (talha dourada) in Portugal, as well as remarkable 17th and 18th-century tilework.