One of the main reasons to travel is to experience the local culture and history. In Macau, one of the best places to visit is the Historic Centre of Macao which will soon celebrate 10 years since it was included in the World Heritage List. What historical and cultural essence is hidden in The Historic Centre of Macau? And what will you discover upon visiting? Let me give you a quick tour.
World Heritage Listing refers to the designation for places on earth that are of outstanding universal value, are unique and have, according to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
The Historic Centre of Macau was inscribed on the World Heritage List on 15 July 2005, making it the 31st designated World Heritage site in China. It includes the oldest western architectural heritage on Chinese soil today. Together with Macau’s traditional Chinese architecture, it stands witness to successful East-West cultural pluralism and architectural traditions; provides solid testimony of the city’s missionary role in the Far East while also reflecting the dissemination of Chinese folk beliefs in the Western World. It is the product of East-West cultural exchange, constituting the most unique blend of cultural heritage existing in China’s historic cities. It presents a complete social infrastructure that has encompassed and sustained the living traditions of different cultures.
The Historic Centre of Macau is a living representation of the city’s historic settlement, encompassing architectural legacies interwoven in the midst of the original urban fabric that includes streetscapes and piazzas, such as Dom Pedro Theatre which is the first Western-style theater in China, Guia Fortress which is the first Western-style lighthouse in China and the A-Ma Temple which is the first place to spread A-Ma culture to Europe.
