Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [247]
In 1654, a dozen years after Portuguese sovereignty was re-established, King João IV ordered a heraldic inscription to be placed inside the senate’s entrance hall, and this can still be seen today. To the right of the entrance hall is the IACM Gallery ( 8988 4100; admission free; 9am-9pm Tue-Sun), which features changing exhibits. On the 1st floor is the Senate Library ( 2857 2233; admission free; 1-7pm Mon-Sat), which has a collection of some 18,500 books, and wonderful carved wooden furnishings and panelled walls.
MONTE FORT Map
Fortaleza do Monte; 7am-7pm
Accessible by an escalator just east of the ruins of the Church of St Paul, Monte Fort was built by the Jesuits between 1617 and 1626 as part of the College of the Mother of God. Barracks and storehouses were designed to allow the fort to survive a two-year siege, but the cannons were fired only once: during the aborted attempt by the Dutch to invade Macau in 1622 (see Click here).
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ONE-DAY ITINERARY
If you only have a day in Macau, start by following the Macau Peninsula walking tour ( Click here) to get a feel for the lie of the land and Macau’s living history. Spend an hour or so in the Macau Museum (below) to answer all the questions you’ll now have, and walk to the ruins of the Church of St Paul ( Click here). In the afternoon, hop on a bus for Taipa ( Click here) and stroll through the village to Avenida da Praia and the three-part Taipa House Museum ( Click here). In the evening you should also walk along peninsula Macau’s more dramatic Avenida da Praia Grande, stopping for a while at the Grand Lisboa Casino ( Click here) to see what all the fuss is about. Complete the trip with a dinner at the atmospheric Clube Militar de Macau ( Click here) before catching the ferry back to Hong Kong.
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MACAU MUSEUM Map
Museu de Macau; 2835 7911; Praceta do Museu de Macau, Fortaleza do Monte; adult/child under 11, student & senior over 60 MOP$15/8, 15th of month admission free; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun
To interactively grab the essence of the history of Macau, head to this excellent museum housed in the Monte Fort.
On the first level, the Genesis of Macau exhibit takes you through the early history of the territory, with parallel developments in the East and the West compared and contrasted. The highlight here is the elaborate section devoted to the territory’s religions.
On the second level (Popular Arts & Traditions of Macau), you’ll see and hear everything from a re-created firecracker factory and a chá gordo(fat tea) of 20 dishes enjoyed on a Sunday, to the recorded cries of street vendors selling items such as brooms and scrap metal. Do not miss the recording of the Macanese poet José dos Santos Ferreira (1919–93), known as Adé, reading from his work in the local dialect.
The top-floor Contemporary Macau exhibit focuses on the latest architecture and urban-development plans.
MACAU CATHEDRAL Map
A Sé Catedral; Largo da Sé; 8am-6pm
East of Largo do Senado is the cathedral, a not particularly attractive structure consecrated in 1850 and completely rebuilt in 1937. It has some notable stained-glass windows and is very active during major Christian festivals and holy days in Macau.
MUSEUM OF THE HOLY HOUSE OF MERCY Map
Núcleo Museológico da Santa Casa da Misericórdia; 2857 3938; 2 Travessa da Misericórdia; adult/student & senior over 65 MOP$5/free; 10am-5.30pm Mon-Sat
In the heart of Largo do Senado is the oldest social institution in Macau, established in 1569, which served as a home to orphans and prostitutes in the 18th century. Today it’s a museum containing items related to the House, including religious artefacts; Chinese, Japanese and European porcel-ain; the skull of its founder and Macau’s first bishop, Dom Belchior Carneiro; and a portrait of Martha Merop, an orphan who became a tycoon and a patron of the House. The restaurant ( 2833 5220; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat) in the basement serves very affordable and decent meals during lunch time.
CHURCH OF ST DOMINIC Map
Igreja de São Domingos; Largo de São Domingos; 10am-6pm