The Holy House of Mercy: Caregiving on the Main Square
Founded in 1569, the Holy House of Mercy established hospitals and care institutions in Macao, bringing charitable work to the edge of Senado Square.
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Macao
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Senado Square: The Fountain and the Wave-Pattern Pavement
Senado Square takes its name from the former civic council; its fountain and black-and-white wave pavement give the public space its familiar character.
St. Augustine’s Church: The Procession and the “Dragon Beard” Name
A local name for St. Augustine’s Church grew from a story about palm-leaf roofing, while its recorded history begins with the 1591 foundation.
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library: A Courtyard for Readers
A house built before 1894 became a public library through Sir Robert Ho Tung’s bequest, opening a new civic life for a historic home.
Dom Pedro V Theatre: A Stage Still in Use
Founded in 1860, Dom Pedro V Theatre brought Western-style performance space to Macao and remains part of the cultural cluster at St. Augustine’s Square.
St. Joseph’s Seminary: A Church and a Place of Learning
Founded in 1728 and built in 1758, St. Joseph’s Seminary became a major base for Jesuit missions, while its church preserves a relic of Francis Xavier.
St. Lawrence: Prayers for a Safe Return at Sea
Known in Cantonese as Fengxin or Fengshun Church, St. Lawrence links its hillside forecourt to prayers for fair winds and safe voyages.
Lilau: A Spring That Shaped a Neighbourhood
The name Lilau means mountain spring in Portuguese; its water source and position near the Inner Harbour helped shape an early settlement.
Mandarin’s House: Courtyards of Two Traditions
Zheng Guanying’s family home is a large residence built before 1869, with blue-grey brick courtyards and a continuous Chinese roofline.
The Moorish Barracks and Its Arcaded Walkways
Designed by António Alexandrino de Melo and completed in 1874, the former barracks stands on a slope above the harbour with Arabic and Gothic influences.
A-Ma Temple: Faith Beside the Harbour
The open forecourt of A-Ma Temple extends the old shrine into the neighborhood, where worship continues against the peninsula’s harbour-facing slope.
Na Tcha Temple: A Small Shrine Beside a Monument
A compact temple stands beside the vast St. Paul’s ruins, carrying a neighborhood tradition in a different architectural and religious scale.