Rua dos Frias in Funchal has acquired a new, informal popular designation: 'Rua dos Gatunos' (Thieves' Street). The inscription appeared painted on the wall of a dilapidated and abandoned building along this steep street.
Historically, Rua dos Frias is linked to the properties of a family with the same surname, who settled in the area during the early settlement of Funchal, possibly in the 15th or 16th centuries. The street name reflects the heritage of the founding and colonizing families of the São Pedro parish.
The appearance of the 'Rua dos Gatunos' painting suggests a popular, possibly satirical, critique of absent landlords or heirs who allow buildings to decay instead of rehabilitating them, especially in a context of housing shortages and high prices in the São Pedro parish.
