Ruins of St. Paul's

Hours & Admission Price Peak Season
Jan.-Dec.
0:00-24:00
Free Low Season
Jan.-Dec.
0:00-24:00
Free Address & Phone On the Rua de Sao Paulo, Macau Peninsula Transportation One can take bus No.10, 10A, 11, 21A, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8A, 17, 18, 26, 26A, 33 to get there Notes

As the facade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul, Ruins of St. Paul's is the icon of Macau and was added into the the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Located on the Rua de Sao Paulo, Macau Peninsula, Ruins of St. Paul's refers to the facade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul. It is one of the most famous landmarks in Macau and was added in to the UNESCO World Heritage Site as a part of the Historical Center of Macau in 2005. It is a must see when traveling in Macau.

History

The Cathedral of St. Paul was designed by a Priest of Italian nationality and was constructed with the help of the Japanese technology of superlative craftsmanship. It was started to build in 1602 and was completed in 1637 and became the biggest Catholic Church in East Asia at that time. With a mixture of the European Renaissance architectural style and eastern architectural style, Cathedral of St. Paul was stately and magnificent. It was not only a Cathedral of St. Paul but a St. Paul’s college. Unfortunately, the complex was burnt down and was rebuilt multiple times before the third and final fire during a typhoon in 1835, which left all its glory in the history.

Suffered in the vicissitudes for more than 400 years, Ruins of St. Paul's has witnessed the tortuous history of Macau. After the return of Macau, Ruins of St. Paul's ushered her brilliant fresh life. Thousands of people from all walks of life gather here every day.

Architectural Style

Built with granites, the facade of the Ruins of St. Paul’s measures 23 meters wide and 25.5 meters high. It can be divided into five levels. Above the third floors, the part gradually narrow into a triangular pediment at the top, which symbolizes the ultimate state of divine ascension and leaves a feeling of holiness. It has a baroque facade rich in ornamentation but with classic oriental characteristics.The sculptured motifs of the facade include biblical images, mythological representations, Chinese characters, Japanese chrysanthemums, a Portuguese ship, and several nautical motifs. This facade is unique in the Catholic churches all over the world.

The first tier, also the entrance tier, is comprised of ten Ionic columns with three entrances. 'MATER DEI' was inscribed in the middle of the entrance to illustrate that the church is worshiping for Madonna. The other two entrances on each side are decorated with reliefs in the pattern of 'HIS'. The second tier is the continue of the first tier, which is composed of ten Corinthian columns with three windows. A Catholic saint is enshrined in each of four tabernacles between columns. The windows are decorated with palm trees. The third tier is the most decorated tier. The statue of Madonna stands in the middle part of the third tier, the statue of Jesus stands on the fourth. The walls are covered with reliefs in various patterns including the dragon, angel and goddess. The fifth tier is a triangle pediment with a copper pigeon in the middle and a cross on the top.

Under the Cross , there is a bronze statue in the shape of a pigeon, which symbolizes the holy god. Around it, there are stone sculptures of the sun, the moon and the stars, which symbolize the pregnancy of St Virgin Maria in a flash of light. Below the pigeon, there is a picture of Holy Son, which is the Jesus Christ. Right in the middle of the third floor, there is a statue of St Virgin Maria surrounded with peony and chrysanthemum on both sides, the former represents China and the latter, represents Japan.

The relief on the facade is lively and fuses the tradition and innovation naturally. It is a famous stone carving religious architecture in Asia and is praised as a stereo.

Macau Culture