Chapel of Our Lady of Guia, Macau 聖母雪地殿教堂, 澳门
The Chapel of Our Lady of Guia is a 17th-century Portuguese Catholic chapel located within the Guia Fortress in Macau. The fortress, chapel and lighthouse are all now part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Macau.
History
The small, granite chapel was completed around 1637-1638. It is part of the oldest existing lighthouse-fort-chapel complex in Asia.
The church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary as protector of sailors and the city and was constructed by Clarist nuns between 1622 and 1638.
It stands atop Guia Hill, Macau's highest point, as part of a defensive fortress erected after an attempted invasion by the Dutch in 1622. The complex also includes the 18-meter tall Guia Lighthouse, completed in 1865 - the first modern lighthouse on the coast of China.
In 1998, routine conservation work in the chapel led to the discovery of previously hidden frescoes depicting a blend of Western and Chinese themes.
Guia Fortress & Lighthouse
The box-shaped fortress (Fortaleza da Guia) has sturdy stone walls and stands at the highest point of the Macau peninsula. There are great views from its walls on a clear day. The fort was made up of a barracks, a powder magazine and a tower and was occupied by the Portuguese military until 1976.
The geographic position of Macau on world maps is determined from the location of Guia Lighthouse.
Address & Information
Estrada do Engenheiro Trigo, Macao.
Guia Chapel is open between 10 am and 5 pm (except Monday). The fortress opens between 10 am and 6 pm with no entry after 5.30 pm. The lighthouse is mostly closed to the public.
Visitors can reach the chapel by cable car from Flora Garden. The following buses 2, 2A, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18A, and 28C also all stop close to either Jardim da Flora or the larger Parque Municipal da Colina da Guia. Not far way is the small but interesting Sun Yat Sen Memorial House.
Macau Essentials
- For cheap flights to Macau check elong.com. A lot of budget airlines (Bangkok Airways, Jetstar Asia, AirAsia, Tiger Airways etc.) fly to Macau.
Macau International Airport has flights to a number of international destinations worldwide including Bangkok, Manila, Seoul and Taiwan and to many other Chinese cities including Beijing, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Shanghai, Shantou, Xianmen and Xian. - Trains - for non-fliers the best option is to take a train to Hong Kong from Beijing West Railway Station and then a ferry to Macau.
Tip: A cheap / fast way to get from Beijing to Macau is to fly from Beijing to Shenzhen and then take a coach to Hong Kong. The flight from Beijing to Shenzhen is considered domestic and therefore much cheaper compared with flying to Hong Kong direct. - Buses and taxis are the major modes of public transport in Macau. Pedicabs are also available for sightseeing. Macau drives on the right, like the rest of China, except Hong Kong.
- Visas: most passport holders of Western countries receive a free 30 or 90-day visa on arrival. To re-enter China requires a multiple entry Chinese visa, or a valid single/double entry visa.
Accommodation in Macau
Grand Lapa Hotel
For those looking for a comfortable and family friendly hotel, then a hidden gem is the Grand Lapa Hotel which is located directly next to Fisherman's Wharf and the Sands Hotel.
The hotel has undergone a transformation and has elegant interiors as well as some newly renovated hotel rooms. The hotel also has a modern spa, gym facilities and a swimming pool which has a water slide as as well as an outdoor Jacuzzi.
The Grand Lapa Hotel also offers a whole host of organised activities for children so parents can have a break. In terms of dining, visitors can try the Cafe Bela Vista, Naam Thai restaurant and Kam Lai Heen Chinese restaurant. The hotel's breakfast buffet is also very famous and worth sampling.
Address: Grand Lapa, 956 - 1110 Avenida Da Amizade, Macau
Wynn Palace Hotel
For those looking for more glitz and glamour in terms of accommodation then they can book accommodation at one of the most over the top hotels in Macau, namely the Wynn Palace. An incredible and vast structure, not only does the interior mimic the exterior in term of glamour and opulence, the hotel boasts an incredible water show and its own cable car system.
The hotel has a famed buffet and also boasts some international acclaimed restaurants such as Sichuan Moon, SW Steakhouse and Japanese specialities at Mizumi. If visitors love shopping then the Wynn Esplanade is a shopping mecca spread over 106,000 square metres.
Address: Avenida Da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, Macau
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