The Historic
Monuments of Macao
Proposed
World Heritage Classification: Cultural
Site
Location: Macao Special Administrative Region
The Historic Monuments of Macao represent the oldest, most complete and
richest European architectural legacy standing intact on Chinese territory
today, a unique product of Sino-Western cultural interflow and assimilation over
a period of four hundred years. These Monuments also stand witness to the long
history of Christian missions in the Far East and most importantly,
they are a symbol of peaceful and harmonious coexistence
of social and cultural pluralism and diversity. In the major
urban areas of the old city, there are remarkable examples
of traditional Chinese architecture, which also embody
the very same spirit of cultural exchange and symbiosis
that can be recognized in all other historic buildings.
Outstanding Feature: Point of encounter between East
and West, symbolising peaceful cultural pluralism in the
Modern Age.
A-Ma Temple
A-Ma Temple complex consists of the Gate
Pavilion, Memorial Arch, Prayer Hall, Hall of
Benevolence, Hall of Guanyin, and Zhengjiao Chanlin.
The various structures were constructed at different times,
with the Zhengjiao Chanlin believed to have been built
in 1488. However, A-Ma Temple did not begin to take
shape until 1828. Archaeological evidence has shown
that the Prayer Hall is the oldest structure in A-Ma
Temple. The Prayer Hall is dedicated to Tian Hau, and
it was constructed in 1605 by local business interests
and government officials. In 1629, the Prayer Hall was
rebuilt. The carved stone that was added to the crossbeam
of the entrance to the Prayer Hall in 1605 still exists
today. Archaeological evidence suggests that of all the
intact Chinese temples in Macao, A-Ma Temple is the
oldest.
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A-Ma Temple |
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A-Ma Temple |
Moorish Barracks
The Moorish Barracks were erected in 1874. An
Indian regiment was brought to Macao from Goa in order to reinforce the local police force in 1871, and the
Italian architect, Cassuto, was commissioned to design
the Moorish style building to accommodate them. The
architectural design is a perfect response to the local climate
with broad verandas running along the sides of the
building providing excellent ventilation. In 1905, the
building became the offices for the Marine and Customs
Police, and it now houses the Macao Maritime
Administration.
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Moorish Barracks |
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Moorish Barracks |
Mandarin's House
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Mandarin's House |
The Mandarin’s House was built in around 1881.
This is the former residence owned by eminent modern
Chinese thinker Zheng Guanying and his father Zheng
Wenrui. Zheng Guanying himself was a member of the
literati who published several books that are still considered
classics today. Over time, many families occupied the
residential complex, and it fell into a state of disrepair,
preserving, nonetheless, much of its original appearance.
In July 2001, the Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.R. Government bought the property and conservation
work is now underway to restore the Mandarin's House
to its original condition.
St. Joseph's Seminary Building and Church
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St. Joseph's Seminary Building
and Church |
Jesuit priests founded this seminary in 1728 for
the purpose of training Chinese missionaries. It was closed
for a while before reopening in 1784. Since its founding,
this seminary has contributed to the spread of Catholicism
in China by training several hundred missionaries. In
1800, it was granted the title of “Royal Seminary” in
view of its outstanding achievements in religious
education. St. Joseph’s Church was completed in 1758. On the foundation stone and on a copper plaque inside
the church there are inscriptions commemorating the names
of the people involved in the building and renovation of
the structure and the dates that the work was completed.
This is regarded as one of the most magnificent churches
in Macao.
From 1998 to 1999, the Church underwent
restoration work, returning the building to its original
appearance. It was reopened to the public in December
1999.
Dom Pedro V Theatre
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Dom Pedro V Theatre
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Dom Pedro V Theatre is a classified architectural
building erected in 1860 by the Portuguese community
in Macao in commemoration of the Portuguese King,
D. Pedro V. Once it was completed, it became the focal
point for Portuguese celebrations and ceremonies. The
theatre has been renovated several times, but was closed
for twenty years due to termite problems, only to reopen
again in 1993 after further renovations. In 2001, an
interior renovation was completed so that the main portion
of the building was restored back to its original design.
Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (formerly Leal Senado)
This building, which formerly housed Macao’s
“Loyal Senate”, is now the head office of the Civic and
Municipal Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. The
site was originally used for the Chinese Council, built
during the reign of Emperor Wan Li (1573–1620),
and used by Chinese officials who came to Macao to
implement the decrees of the Chinese Emperor. Here
they met with Portuguese officials in order to oversee the
affairs of the Portuguese residing in Macao. In 1783,
the Portuguese purchased the Chinese Council building
and surrounding land from China and in 1784, a new
Portuguese-style building was erected on the site. It
subsequently underwent several renovations, the latest
being in 1940 when it attained its present appearance.
This building is considered to be the most outstanding
example of Portuguese architecture in Macao.
Behind the Leal Senado there is a walled patio
garden while a library on the first floor contains a valuable
collection of about 30,000 volumes dating from the
seventeenth century to 1950. The works include
Portuguese literature, English literature, Chinese culture
and the arts, as well as some European journals and
books published in the 19th century, many of which are
now rare treasures.
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Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau |
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Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau |
Holy House of Mercy
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Holy House of Mercy |
D. Belchior Carneiro, the first Catholic Bishop
of Macao, founded the Holy House of Mercy of Macao
in 1569. The Holy House of Mercy was derived from a
Portuguese charitable institution founded in Lisbon by
the Portuguese Queen Leonor. The Holy House of Mercy
in Macao initially directed its charitable work towards
the Portuguese community in Macao but since its
founding, it has opened a hospital, a home for foundling
children, a home for the elderly and a nursery. In Chinese
historical documents, the Holy House of Mercy was called
the “Remuneration Temple” because this was where the
staff of a charitable organization came to draw their
payments. There also used to be an adjoining chapel,
which led to the Chinese description of it as a “temple”.
Section of the Old City Walls
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Section of the Old City Walls
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The walls were built as early as 1569. The
Portuguese attempted to construct a military defense to
protect the city from foreign aggressors, and after the
Portuguese defeated the Dutch invasion of 1622, the
Ming authorities approved the construction of more
permanent military structures to reinforce the city’s
defensive walls. A map of Macao produced in 1632 shows that the city was already well-protected to the north,
east and south. With the exception of the Inner Harbour
to the west, Macao was surrounded by city walls, with
fortresses in strategic locations, making Macao a wellfortified
city in military terms. This Section of the old
City Walls was part of these defense structures.
Na Tcha Temple
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Na Tcha Temple |
Na Tcha Temple is located behind the Ruins of
St. Paul’s and is dedicated to the legendary Na Tcha.
According to folklore, Na Tcha was born after a three
and a half year pregnancy with special powers given to
him by a Taoist priest. Using these powers when he was
still a youngster, he fought the Dragon King to protect
his village. The tiny temple was founded in 1888 and
re-built in 1901. The temple was restored in 1995 and
again in 2000, regaining many of its original features.
Work included repairs to the temple’s roof, consolidation
of the walls and the replacement of decayed wood in the
structure.
Ruins of St. Paul's
The Ruins of St. Paul's is the facade of what was
originally the Church of Mater Dei attached to St. Paul's
College. The original church structure dates back to 1565
while the College was built in 1594. St. Paul's College
followed an academic programme of high standards and
became the first University of the Far East.
The church succumbed to fires in 1595 and 1601
and in 1602 was reconstructed for a third time.
Construction continued until between 1637 and 1640
with the facade seen today the last part to be completed.
In 1835, a great fire destroyed the entire complex
including St. Paul's College and the Church of Mater
Dei, leaving only the flight of granite steps, a large part
of the foundations, and the impressive granite facade that
is now called the "Ruins of St. Paul's."
From 1837 to 1854, the site was used as a burial
ground for missionaries.
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Ruins of St. Paul's |
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Ruins of St. Paul's |
Fortaleza do Monte
The construction of Mount Fortress began in 1617
and was completed in 1626. Over the past four hundred
years, Mount Fortress has undergone numerous changes.
In its early years, the main entrance, facing south, served
as an ammunition depot. At the centre of the top platform,
there once was a three-storey tower fitted with cannons
on each floor. Access to the fortress is via a short winding
path leading to a spacious platform at the top. Four
rows of houses served as military barracks and the fortress
was also equipped with wells and an arsenal that held
sufficient ammunition and supplies to survive a siege of
up to two years. Mount Fortress was the backbone of
Macao's defence system, facilitating the comprehensive
coverage of the coast. From 1623 to 1740, this site also
served as the residence of the Portuguese governor.
Mount Fortress remained a restricted military
facility until around 1965 when the barracks were
converted into a weather observatory.
In 1996, the
meteorological services moved their operations to
Taipa Island, and the Fortress was opened to the
public. In September 1996, the Macao Government
demolished the weather observation tower, and the site
was redeveloped into the Macao Museum in 1998.
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Mount Fortress |
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Mount Fortress |
Guia Fortress (including Guia Chapel
and Guia Lighthouse)
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Guia Chapel |
The construction of Guia Fortress began in 1622
and was completed in 1638. The Fortress was equipped
with sentry posts, ammunition depots, and watchtowers
and was a restricted military area until 1976 when it
opened as a major tourist attraction. In the past, the
Fortress would open to the public only on August 5th for
the feast of Our Lady of the Snow, and the ninth day of
the ninth month in the Chinese calendar for Chung
Yeung, when relatives pay their respects to the dead.
The Fortress has largely maintained its original
appearance.
Guia Chapel, located inside the Fortress, is
dedicated to Our Lady of Guia, and was also built in
1622. In 1996, during repair and restoration works
carried out by the Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.
R. Government, frescoes were discovered inside Guia
Chapel, which, it is believed, were painted by Chinese
artists. The paintings feature biblical themes intertwined
with typical Chinese representations and are perfect
examples of the harmonious mix of eastern and western
cultures. This is a unique quality not found in any other
local church. Restoration of the frescoes was completed in
2001.
Guia Lighthouse was completed in 1864 and
began operating on September 24th of the following year,
making it the oldest lighthouse in China and in the Far
East. It has remained in constant operation since then.
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Guia Chapel |
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Guia Fortress |
