 The old stadium itself was rather distinctive in design and shape.Built into a Funchal hillside, the stadium offered and still offers outstanding views of the bay, city, and the rising Madeiran mountains from its two "banana-shaped" stands that stretch the entire length of the field and curve around most of the running rack, but not entirely.The two stands were both all seated with the "bancada nascente" being totally uncovered and considerably smaller than the main "bancada lateral".