With the new underground passenger terminal, it is now more convenient for locals to travel to Zhuhai. Passengers at the underground bus terminal can reach the Border Gate Square through the linked escalator, elevator and stair case. 17 bus lines service the bus terminal with clear signboards and indications. Washrooms as well as public phones are also available at the underground bus terminal, while the taxi station is on the ground floor.
Erected in 1870, the European style Border Gate witnesses the development of Macau. The modernized Border Gate Square with fountains at the centre is surrounded by green plants. The blue tiles at the side walls together with the poem of the Portuguese Poet, Camoes depict the history of Macau.
The Border Gate and the Gongbei Checkpoint in Zhuhai open daily from 7:00 a.m. to midnight.
A small chapel was first built in the 17th century as part of the Guia Fortress and the present chapel dates from 1637. During the restoration of the chapel in 1996, the oldest vestige of mural paintings that dates back to the construction of the hermitage in 1622 were discovered. The recovered paintings are characterized by rich cultural meaning, a combination of Chinese and Western symbols, including angels wearing traditional oriental costumes.
The Lighthouse was the first on the China Coast, built by a local born Portuguese, Carlos Vicente da Rocha.
On top of the Guia Hill, besides the already well-known structures, the Guia lighthouse, Guia Fort and Our Lady of Guia Chapel, there are also some underground tunnels, which are commonly known as air raid shelters, extending in all directions. The longest tunnel is 456 metres and the shortest 47. In the past the tunnels were off-limits military installations surrounded by barbed wire, equipped with electricity generators, rest rooms and oil tanks.
Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Closed on Mondays, except public holidays).
Free Admission.
Enquiry: (853) 8394 3703 / (853) 8988 4000
Below Guia Hill is the Flora Garden, which can be reached by steps or a cable car that takes visitors to street level in just 80 seconds.
Macau Fisherman's Wharf
Macau Fisherman's Wharf is a 111,500m² park and the first-ever cultural, themed and creative attraction in the tourism industry of Macau. It is centrally located in the outer harbour and it is not purely a theme park, but also combines dining, shopping, entertainment, accommodation, convention and exhibition facilities in one single location which takes just a 5-minute walk from the Macau-HK Ferry Terminal and Heliport.
Be it for business or pleasure, visitors are able to find a brand new experience in this entertainment complex.
The building is regarded as the most outstanding example of Portuguese architecture in the territory. A public library is located on the first floor and its two inner chambers contain magnificent examples of the institution at Coimbra, in Portugal.
A-Ma Cultural Village
Close to the world's tallest statue of the goddess A-Ma (also known as Tian Hou), which stands on a 170-metre high peak on a mountaintop on Macau's Coloane Island, a 7,000-square meter cultural complex celebrates the beloved deity's legend.
The development of the A-Ma Cultural Village was started during the Chung Yeung festival in 2001 shortly after the A-Ma Cultural and Tourism Festival of Macau. Today, construction of the Qing Dynasty-style complex is nearly finished. Surely the village, which comprises a bell tower, drum tower, carved marble altar in the Tian-Hou Palace, a dressing hall, museum and shops will attract many A-Ma devotees and interested tourists, especially those from the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Fujian Province, where the goddess A-Ma is believed to have been born more than 1,000 years ago. Visitors approach the village by six rows of stairs carved with auspicious Chinese patterns like of the roaring tiger, the double lion, the five cranes and double phoenix that lead to the Tian Hou Palace. Plans for the future include a vegetarian restaurant and more Macanese and Taiwanese snack stalls, folk handicrafts and souvenir shops and other tourist facilities.
But there is a lot more for tourists to see when they visit the Coloane site. The village is surrounded by a park, and is reached by the Estrada do Alto de Coloane which begins just south of Seac Pai Van Park. The road leads first to the parking area for the newly-developed Recreational Fishing Zone, the Arboretum (which features more than 100 species of local and exotic trees), and the main access to the Coloane Hiking Trail. It continues on to the top of the Peak where there is another car park, the new Alto de Coloane picnic area, and the statue of the Goddess A-Ma. Visible from far out in the South China Sea, the statue crowns Coloane Peak. A-Ma is venerated by fishermen and sailors and therefore has always had a special significance in Macau.
The goddess A-Ma has long been revered in Macau as the protector of people who make their living on the sea. A well-known local legend tells of the goddess saving the occupants of a ship during a fierce storm, and ascending afterward into heaven near the site of the historic A-Ma temple, a local landmark believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty.
There are an estimated 200 million devotees of the goddess worldwide, concentrated in places like South East Asia, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong but found even as far away as Europe and the Americas, making them followers of one of the world's most widespread religions.
Opening hours of TianHouPalace: 08:00 to 18:00 daily.
There is shuttle bus service between the Façade at Estrada de Seac Pai Van and TianHauPalace in every 30 minutes:
Source: Macau Travel Talk (Feb 2004)
The 3700m2, Senado square is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of coloured stones, created by Portuguese experts. From the main road to the church of St. Dominic, the pavement extends to the ruins of St. Paul's, making the heart of the city a pedestrian paradise.
Protestant Cemetery
Among those buried here: Dr. Robert Morrison, who compiled the first English and Chinese dictionary and translated the Bible into Chinese; George Chinnery, an artist who lived in Macau in the 18th century; Capt. Lord John Spencer Churchill, Commander of H.M. Ship Druid and an ancestor of Sir Winston Churchill; also seamen and non-Portuguese Traders.
Vasco da Gama Monument
Standing in a small park in front of the Royal Hotel, a heroic bust commemorates Vasco da Gama, the Portuguses explorer who discovered the sea route from Europe to India.
Gate of Understanding
Located at the entrance of the Inner Harbour, it is a 40-metre tall monument to honour the Luso-Chinese relations. The monument was completed in 1993.
Nam Van Lake Cybernetic Fountain
Spectacular shows of cascading water and light can be seen on Nam Van Lake opposite the Headquarters of the Government of Macau SAR. The fountain, constructed by a Portuguese- Spanish company, was moved from the Reservoir to this new site since March 1999. It is equipped with 86 spouts and lit by 288 coloured spotlights. The tallest water jet reaches 80 meters in height.
Timetable of Nam Van Lake Cybernetic Fountain
Laser Performance
Saturday to Sunday: 20:30-21:00, 21:30-22:00
Additional performances will be held in New Years Day, Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas Holidays etc.
Music Performance
Monday to Friday:13:00-14:00, 18:00-19:00, 20:00-21:00, 21:30-22:00.
Saturday to Sunday:10:00-11:00, 13:00-14:00, 15:00-16:00, 18:00-19:00, 20:00-21:00, 21:30-22:00.
Source: Civic & Municipal Affairs Bureau
Historic Archives
Contains letters, books and manuscripts pertaining to Portugal's exploration and Macau's relations with Europe, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia from a wide variety of governmental, civic, ecclesiastic and private sources. The most valuable have been put on microfilm, including 7500 items dating from 1587 to 1786.
The archives are houses in one of the mansions in colonial style in Avenida de Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida restored by the Macau Government which won the Pacific Area Travel Association's Heritage Award, in 1982.
Four Faces Buddha Shrine
There are two Four Faces Buddha in Macau: one at the end of the car park of the Macau Jockey Club on Taipa Island; and the other at the International Centre close to the wharf which is a very interesting monument in an ornate Thai Style.
Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre
Opened on 19th December, 2001, Macau Tower is 338 metres in height. It is an elegant construction offering magnificent panoramic views all over Macau and much of the Pearl River Delta from its observation deck and revolving restaurant, at the 223-metre level. There is the opportunity to walk around the outside of the tower, for instance "Skywalk X".
Besides the tower, there are a 4-floor Convention and Entertainment Centre, restaurants, cinema, a 2-level basement and an outdoor plaza.
Located on the Outer Harbour, this statue, dedicated to Goddess of Kun Iam (Goddess of Mercy) is 20 meters tall and made of special bronze. The dome shape base like a lotus flower, is an ecumenical centre where information is available on Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
Souvenirs and Cultural Institute publications are available for sale.
Opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Fridays. Opened on public holidays.
Situated near the Pousada de Sao Tiago on Rua de Sao Tiago da Barra, this monument is a piece of art that illustrates some of Macau's features while also capturing cultural characteristics of the Macanese society. It was established to commemorate the Macau 2001 New Millenium Meeting of the Macanese Communities.
A gift from the overseas Macanese, the Monument to the Macanese Diaspora was inaugurated on December 4th, 2001. It is composed of signature indications of Macau, including a model of the A-Ma Temple representing the traditional Chinese culture, a bronze globe referring to the Portuguese Discoveries and a sculpture of a lotus flower symbolizing Macau.
Lotus Square
Standing in Lotus Square next to the Forum, the large sculpture of "Lotus Flower In Full Bloom" presented by the State Council of China in 1999, marks the return of sovereignty of Macau.
The sculpture, made of gilded bronze and weights 6.5 tons, is 6 meters high and the diameter of the flower is 3.6 meters at maximum. The major part is composed of a stem, petals and pistil, with a total of 16 components. The base of the flower consists of 23 pieces of red granite.
The lotus flower, which is in full bloom, symbolizes the everlasting prosperity of Macau. There are three layers of red granite at the base, which are in the shape of lotus leaves, signifying the Macau Peninsula, Taipa Island and Coloane Island.
Cultural Club
Cultural Club is housed in an authentic old pawnshop (a valuable historic & cultural heritage) on San Ma Lo in the center of Macau. The booming business of the old pawnshop is no longer existing, it is only the large warehouse, high counters and thick iron windows as well as the colorful pawning trademark which are still recording and witness the prosperity and slump in the old city districts.
In order to incorporate with the Macau cultural restorations, to disseminate the traditional business, to promote quality of life, to excel tourism products and to revitalize the economic vitality of Macau, the Cultural Club was form. This is based on the concepts of stretching the artistic and cultural services.
The old pawnshop consists of 3 stories except the adjoining tower. The renovated building comprises museum space on the tower and the ground floor that is managed by the Macau SAR Cultural Institute, and the remaining area by Cultural Club.
Also housed in the same building as the Pawnshop Museum: Pastry Gallery - Macau specialties such as cookies and other souvenirs on sale (ground floor) Arts Plaza - souvenirs, postcards,and traditional fine arts, clothing and accessories on sale (first floor) Jin Yong Library - a library and meeting area where fans of novelist Jin Yong can discuss his works and exchange ideas (first floor) Water Teahouse - a comfortable resting place for visitors (second floor) Cultural Exhibition Hall - Paintings and other examples of fine and folk arts are exhibited here, and traditional craftsmen hold demonstrations (second floor)
The Sai Van Bridge was officially inaugurated on December 19, 2004. The 560 million-pataca 2,200-meter bridge links Macau with Taipa and also with Cotai, the site of several soon-to-be completed new casinos, hotels and resorts, making a smooth link between the southwestern end of Macau and the northwest coast of Taipa, and easing traffic flow.
The cable-stayed bridges have been built in many other parts of the world, but the two-deck design for Macau may well be unique. The enclosed second deck fulfilled one of the fundamental criteria for Macaus third bridge, which was that it, unlike the two existing bridges, could be used safely during typhoons. The lower deck is designed to make the bridge a dual-purpose structure that can accommodate a future light rail system. The Sai Van Bridge is also strategically placed to interface smoothly with a proposed future mainland light rail link to Guangzhou.
Monte Fort Corridor
Monte FortCorridor is located at the foot of Monte Fort hill and is accessible by passing through Travessa dos Artilheiros above Estrada do Repouso. With European and modern appearance, the well-located Monte Fort Corridor is ten metres high and is equipped with elevators and natural lighting. As a linkage to St. Lazarus Church, Monte Fort, and MacaoMuseum, the Monte Fort Corridor offers a convenient way for residents and visitors to reach Monte Fort.
A Macao Heritage Tour exhibition, with Macao historical and cultural tours as its theme, is on display at the Monte Fort Corridor with photos and explanations on scenic spots including A-MaTemple, Na Tcha Temple, St. Lawrences Church, St. Augustines Theatre and Monte Fort.
Monte Fort is opened from 7am to 7pm, entrance is free.
Source:Cultural Affairs Bureau
Lou Kao Mansion
The LouKaoMansion was one of the residences of the wealthy Lou Wa Sio family and, according to the date written on a poem on the eaves of the courtyard to the left of the entrance, it was built in the 15th year of the reign of Qing Dynasty emperor Guang Xu (1889). Constructed in grey brick, the two-storey xiguan-style building is on of the best-preserved traditional Chinese house in Macao. Like many other xiguan houses, LouKaoMansion has detailed decorations such as brick relief, plaster ornamentation, decorative lattice carvings and mother-of-pearl windows, perforated ceilings to facilitate ventilation, iron railings, reflecting a combination of Chinese and Western architecture.
Opening Days: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays (closes on the days when Macau Chinese Orchestra has performances).
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm
Free Admission
Address: No. 7, Travessa da Sé (near the Cathedral)
The bronze statue of Xian Xinghai is located at the junction of Avenida Xian Xing Hai and Rua de Berlim.
Born in Macau, Xian Xinghai is regarded as the Chinese peoples musician and the herald of modern Chinese music. The prolific musician composed many stunning agitato pieces, of which his Yellow River Cantata is one of the best-known. The bold and lively Yellow River Cantata is a paean expression of the firm and unyielding spirit of the Chinese to defend the homeland.
