May 7, 2023
Macau may be a small autonomous region of China, but it is packed with beautiful places to explore. I must say that the last time we visited the place wasn't enough to explore all the places. So sooner or later, I will go back to this place, with or without company to visit the places I haven't been to. And given that I was with my bosses, I wasn't satisfied with the places I visited and the candid photos I took. I want complete photos of my Macau trip for documentary purposes.
Prior to visiting Macau, I had places in mind that I wanted to explore, and I was so much looking forward to visiting them. While walking along the streets, I kept asking the young lady if we will go to the ruins and Venetian, two of the places on my bucket list, but she was uncertain so I felt sad about her lame response. Unexpectedly, at the end of our walk after lunch, we stopped over at St. Paul Ruins, one of the places I was yearning to see.
On our way to the ruins, we came across tourists in groups led by some tour guides from different Private Tours agencies. It's a normal scene in Macau where some tourists would pay for private tours to avoid the stress of public transportation and to easily get to their desired destinations. Those tourists on private tours are usually old people from Mainland China.
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Before entering the historic place, I spotted this huge hole on the side of the road. Upon checking the information about it posted on the side, it's the Archeological site where different artifacts and unearthing human remains were found. The Archaeological Society continues excavating to find more human remains and artifacts, not just on this site, but in other parts of Macau supported by the government.
We came from the opposite route, and by looking at the back of the ruins, I know by myself that it was one of the places I was looking for.
St. Paul's Ruins are the ruins of the 17th-century Catholic religious complex which originally includes St. Paul's church dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, and St. Paul's College. In 2005, it was listed as a Historic Center of Macau. This is also included in Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World.
St. Paul complex was built by Jesuits from 1602 to 1640. But a fire incident in 1835 destroyed the place. What remained was the southern stone facade and the crypt of the Jesuits located underground.
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The facade consists of some statues and beautiful carvings of Jesuits that were intricately made by Japanese Christians. To preserve the facade's integrity, it is strengthened with concrete and steel.
This is now one of the popular landmarks in Macau where visitors would take photos on the 68 stone steps leading to it. I must say that this is a perfect spot for prenuptial photoshoots and the towering facade atop is a perfect backdrop.
My boss took this souvenir shot of mine using her phone and you can see the difference in the photo's resolution.
We entered the back area of the facade and stumbled upon an array of holes covered with glasses. The lady said that those contain the remains of the ruined St. Paul church and St. Paul College.
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This is part of the original structure conserved in the place.
These are the remaining bricks and granite stones from the original stone walls of the complex.
On the other side are portraits of St. Paul's Ruins through time from the 18th to 19th centuries. That brick wall where portraits are displayed was the original brick wall of the complex.
Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt
We went down to the crypt and Museum of Sacred Art located under the ground.
Before entering the hall was a reminder to visitors to remain silent as they are entering a sacred place written in Portuguese, English, and Chinese.
The first thing to see upon entering the place are the remains from a tomb that they said belonged to the founder of St. Paul College, alongside the ruined granite stone walls.
On the sidewalls are the skeletal remains of Japanese and Vietnamese martyrs.
We entered another room and stumbled upon a narrow hall. The room houses several Catholic artworks from the 16th to the 20th centuries, and some items from St. Paul's Ruins.
These are some of the religious antique statues. This hall also houses some liturgical vessels and items from St. Paul Church.
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On the other side are sacred oil paintings about St. Francis, crucifixes, and other religious acts.
These ruins, the sacred artworks, the crypt, and religious relics show the missionary work of the people in that period. In 2005, St. Paul's Ruins were officially listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is now the historical center of Macau.
As the historical center, this site can truly be crowded, especially on holidays. You can tell by looking at the photos below.
Old and new buildings are cramped in this area of Macau. That enormous building with unique architecture is a famous casino.
We left the ruins and climbed up the hill to see a better view of the ruins and old Macau. We came across the old statue of Father Mateo Ricci, S.J., a European Jesuit priest who held missionary works in Macau in 1582 and the founding father of China Jesuit missions.
The old Macau is visible atop the hill. Several old Portuguese structures were retained for conservation purposes. Old residential buildings are visible as well.
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We visited the Macau Museum located atop the hill. And that would be shared one of these days. Some canyons were just one of the attractions on our way to the museum.
It was an amazing experience seeing the ruins of St. Paul and learning its history. Macau probably is one of the places in the world packed with historical sites.
That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by.
(All photos are mine)
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