Experience Macao's World Heritage (with Giveaway!!!)
11:48 AM
It's the school holiday/graduation period and I'm sure many of us
are traveling during this holiday! Like most students who are usually cash
strapped but still want to travel out of Singapore without breaking the bank,
Asia has definitely been growing as a destination for us :) I'm fortunate
enough to be able to link up with the Macao Government Tourism Office this time
round to share a little bit more about tourism and traveling in Macao itself,
and I hope this little "guide" will help you guys a little :)
Over the years, my purpose of
traveling has slowly shifted from great shopping to sightseeing (it's really
amazing and helps to broaden my views). Oh wells, partly because sightseeing is
cheaper HAHAHA Here, I'm going to share some of Macao's World
Heritage attractions that you can visit for free!!
Senado
Square
Admission fee: Free
Senado
Square is named after the Leal Senado Building (known as “Senatorial Pavilion”
in the old times, predecessor of the IACM Building).
"The
Fountain", constructed in the 70s of the 20th century, stands in the
centre of the Square
Senado
Square has been Macao’s urban centre for centuries since the port of Macao was
opened for trade and is still the most popular venue for public events and
celebrations today. The Square is paved with Portuguese beautiful cobblestones
and surrounded by pastel coloured neo-classical buildings, creating a
consistent and harmonious Mediterranean atmosphere. This attraction has been a
splendid blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultural traits.
Mandarin House
Admission
fee: Free
Built before 1869, the House was the home of a
famous Chinese ideologist in modern times and late-Qing celebrity – Zheng
Guanying, who completed his acclaimed masterpiece Shengshi Weiyan, literally
known as Words of Warning in Times of Prosperity, in this house.
The buildings are predominantly in Chinese style
with subtle western influences in the decorative motifs, marking a period in
Macao when Chinese architecture started to display a fusion of styles from
different cultures. Its fusion of architectural influences from both Chinese
and western cultures makes it a monument definitely worth visiting.
Admission is free and there are also guided
tours available :)
A-Ma Temple
Admission
fee: Free
The Temple is dedicated to A-Ma, also known as Mazu, the Goddess of
seafarers and fishermen. According to legend, A-Ma was able to make prophecy in
her mortal life and protect traders and fishermen from shipwreck with mythic
power in afterlife, and thus locals built the Temple to worship her. Macao’s
name is also derived from A-Ma-Gau or Bay of A-Ma. The Temple consists of four
key pavilions that sit in perfect harmony with the natural environment. A-Ma festival
takes place on the 23rd day of the 3rd month in Lunar Calendar each year.
Homage is paid to this most popular deity of Macao. During the festival, you’ll
not only enjoy the traditional performance of dragon and lion dance but also
Chinese opera in a specially constructed bamboo shed.
St Lawrence Church
Admission fee: Free
Originally built
in the mid-16th century, St Lawrence Church, one of the three oldest churches
in Macao, was renovated for several times and its present appearance and scale was
acquired in 1846. Situated uphill overlooking the sea, the Church is believed
to protect fishermen, sailors and families living near the seashore from the
storm, and hence it was given its name Feng Shun Tang (Hall of the Soothing
Winds), which is widely known in Chinese community. The neighbourhood where the
Church is located used to be fairly wealthy, thus explaining the building’s
scale and wealth of architectural treatment. It is a neo-classical structure,
with subtle Baroque decorative inspirations.
Ruins of St. Paul’s
Admission fee:
Free
The Ruins of St.
Paul's refer to the facade of what was originally the Church of Mater Dei built
in 1602-1640, destroyed by fire in 1835, and the ruins of St. Paul's College,
which stood adjacent to the Church. As a whole, the old Church of Mater Dei,
St. Paul's College and Mount Fortress were all Jesuit constructions and formed
what can be perceived as the Macao's "acropolis". Close by, the
archaeological remains of the old College of St. Paul stand witness to what was
the first western-style university in the Far East, with an elaborate academic
programme. Nowadays, the facade of the Ruins of St. Paul's functions
symbolically as an altar to the city.
Guia Fortress
Admission fee:
Free
The fortress was
built between 1622 and 1638. Inside the fortress stands Guia Chapel, originally
established by Clarist nuns, who resided at the site before establishing the
Convent of St. Clare. The chapel's elaborate frescoes depict representations of
both western and Chinese themes, displaying motifs of religious and
mythological inspiration that are a perfect example of Macao's multicultural
dimension. Guia Lighthouse, dating from 1865, which also stands within the
perimeter, is the first modern lighthouse on the Chinese coast. Guia Fortress,
along with the chapel and lighthouse are symbols of Macao's maritime, military
and missionary past.
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These are just
some of the things that you can visit in Macao for free to save cost, and to
help experience Macao differently and understand its history and culture
better! Of course, there are also shopping and FOOD. How can anyone forget
about food? Think Portuguese egg
tarts and steamed milk pudding which are my favourite... and also festivals and
events that takes place periodically/seasonally :)
Hopefully one day
I'll be able to visit Macao to experience all these for myself too! And I hope
you guys have enjoyed this little sharing and got to know Macao's heritage
attractions a little better and hope it'll help in planning your next trip.. Or
you can always try your luck and stand a chance to win a trip to Macao!!!
So simply head over to Experience Macao.SG Facebook Page and search for the following post (seen above) and leave a comment to why you'd like to win a trip to Macao!:) Also, don't forget to hashtag #MacaoOnSocialSG in your comments.
Winners will be announced on Experience Macao.SG Facebook Page :)
Looking forward to
bringing more "good deals" to share with you guys, and thank you
Macao Government Tourism Office for educating me and my readers on Macao as
well!! :)
(This is a
sponsored post, attractions photographs and (most) descriptions are provided by
Macao Government Tourism Office)
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