Ruínas de São Paulo

All that remains of the greatest of Macau’s churches, known as the Ruins of St. Paul’s (Ruínas de São Paulo, 大三巴牌坊), is its magnificent stone facade and grand staircase.

Today, the ruins are one of Macau’s most famous landmarks. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul were officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Historic Centre of Macau’.

The surviving facade rised in four colonnaded tiers, and is covered with carvings and statues which eloquently illustrate the early days of the Church in Asia. There are statues of the Virgin and saints, symbols of the Garden of Eden and the Crucifixion, angels and devil, a Chinese dragon and a Japanese chrysanthemum, a Portuguese sailing ship and pious warnings inscribed in Chinese.

The Museum of Sacred Art is installed in the original crypt of the church and contains silver altar pieces, gilded statues and paintings by 17th century Japanese artist showing the Crucified Martyrs of Nagasaki and the Archangel Michael as a samurai.

Address: Rua de Sao Paulo

did you know?

î The church was originally the Church of Mater Dei built in 1602-1640.

î The church was designed by an Italian Jesuit, with the assistance of Japanese Christian stonemasons, who had fled persecution in Japan and destroyed by fire in 1835.

Igreja de São Domingos

St. Dominic’s Church (Igreja de São Domingos, 玫瑰堂) is a Catholic church in Macau. The church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Historic Centre of Macau’.

It has an imposing facade of cream-colored stone with white stucco moldings and green-shutted windows.

Address: Largo de São Domingos near Leal Senado

did you know?

î The church was built in 1587 by three Spanish Dominican priests who originally came from Acapulco in Mexico.

î It was here (in the church) that the first Portuguese newspaper, A Abelha da China (The China Bee), was published on Chinese soil in 1822.