Top 5: Historic Sites in Macau

Macau is to be commended for the fact that, while it allows rampant development, it also takes care to preserve its past. The former Portuguese colony, now a Special Administrative Region of China, is packed with historic sites, with these five among the must-sees.

© Pop2nix | Dreamstime

Ruins of St. Paul

Macau’s most famous site is the façade of the Jesuit-built St. Paul’s College, destroyed by fire in 1835. The college was the first Western-style university in the Far East, and the façade is a fascinating mix of religious and Eastern symbolism.

© Jackmalipan | Dreamstime

A-Ma Temple

A-Ma Temple is Macau’s oldest temple, dating to 1488. The complex contains exquisitely preserved architecture and outstanding views.

© Dmitry Chulov | Dreamstime

Old City Wall

Only one section of the old Portuguese wall remains, and it dates to around 1569. The wall is an inventive mixture of clay, soil, sand, rice straw, crushed rocks and oyster shells called chunambo.

© Keng Po Leung | Dreamstime

Mount Fortress

Built by the Jesuits in the early 1600s to protect the city, the fortress still stands today. Views from the top stretch across the city of Macau.

© Hupeng | Dreamstime

Senado Square

Long the gathering place for Macanese citizens, Senado Square holds former Portuguese civic buildings pastel in color sporting well-preserved neo-Classical architecture. The square is constantly busy and has a Mediterranean feel.