The Historic Centre of Macau is a living representation of the city’s historic settlement. In the middle of the 16th century, the Portuguese began to settle and trade in the southwest area of the Macau peninsula. Later, Macau developed into a main port in China open to the outside world before the 19th century. With its prosperity in international trading, Macau attracted more people to settle there from countries around the world. These people brought their different cultures, customs, and religions to this area and built houses, churches, streets, fort and even a cemetery. In the past hundreds of years, Macau has been the hub where cultures of the West and the East exchange.
Here you can find the oldest and best preserved western style buildings in China, such as Barra Square, Lilau Square, St. Augustine’s Square, Senado Square, Cathedral Square, St. Dominic’s Square, Company of Jesus Square and Cam?es Square. These major urban squares and streetscapes provide the linkage for a succession of over twenty monuments, including A-Ma Temple, Moorish Barracks, Mandarin’s House, St. Lawrence’s Church, St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church, Dom Pedro V Theatre, Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, St. Augustine’s Church, “Leal Senado” Building, Sam Kai Vui Kun (Kuan Tai Temple), Holy House of Mercy, Cathedral, Lou Kau Mansion, St. Dominic’s Church, Ruins of St. Paul’s, Na Tcha Temple, Section of the Old City Walls, Mount Fortress, St. Anthony’s Church, Casa Garden, the Protestant Cemetery and Guia Fortress (including Guia Chapel and Lighthouse) altogether known as “The Historic Centre of Macau”.
