Historic Centre of Macao, China

Historic Centre of Macau (8 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Macao, also written Macau, was an important port and trading centre during the Portuguese administration, from mid-16th century up to 1999. Its historic centre has been carefully preserved, with many of its historic streets, churches, temples, residences and Portuguese government buildings still standing.

The tangible heritage of Macao bears witness to the blend of eastern and western ideas of aesthetics, culture, architecture and technology, and stands today as a showcase of the long lasting relationship between the West and its encounters with China.

The Historic Centre of Macao was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee in Durban, South Africa, on 10-17 July, 2005. The core zone covers an area of 16.1678 hectares wrapped around by a 106.781 hectare buffer zone. Within the property is the oldest lighthouse in China.

Photos of Historic Centre of Macao

Ruins of St Paul, Macau (8 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Holy House of Mercy, Macau (8 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Church of St Dominic, Macau (8 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 22 11 28.651 E 113 32 11.26
Inscription Year: 2005
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, III, IV, VI

Location Map

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Visiting Historic Centre of Macao

Macau International Airport (MFM) gets flights from many Asian cities. From the airport, take bus AP1 which goes through Taipa island and then on to the Macau peninsula, terminating at the Barrier Gate.

Exploring Macau

Macau Peninsula is small enough to be explore on foot. For greater distances, buy a bus map and then get acquainted with taking the bus. As Macau is quite small, you couldn't go too far the wrong way.

Local Tours of China

At times, it is faster, safer and cheaper to join a local tour than to go there yourself. This is especially true for many places in China. However, you need to be wary of the tour operators, especially those in China.

Here are a few local tours of China that you may wish to add to your itinerary. These tours are arranged by Viator, one of the most reputable tour agencies in the market.

Proceed to China Travel Guide
Return to China's World Heritage Sites
Return to UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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World Greatest Sites and globe logo are trademark and service mark of Timothy Tye. This website is researched and written by Timothy Tye. The information provided is in goodwill and is believed to be correct and up-to-date at time of writing. We disclaim responsible for its usage, and encourage users to recheck the information before their trip. Some articles that are derivative works attributing Wikipedia and/or Wikitravel are clearly stated; these are governed by the Creative Common Attribution ShareAlike License and are not copyrighted. Third-party photographs are attributed by author, licensing terms and backlinks to source. Photographs appearing on this website are governed by licenses as captioned below them and can only be used under terms of the specified licensing terms. Photographs that belong to Tim are copyrighted and may not be reused unless you first obtain permission. All of Tim's photographs are available for commercial use under the following licensing terms. Tim is a Christian. Click here to know more about his beliefs. Some photos are provided by Panoramio. Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners. They may only be used under the terms & conditions specified by Panoramio.