A PLACE, A STORY / Macao
Ruins of St Paul’s
A carved stone façade survives above a broad stairway. The church and adjoining college were damaged by fire in 1835.
yeowatzup · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Resized and compressed. · Original source · License
Inaki.alegria · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Resized and compressed. · Original source · License
The Ruins of St Paul’s include the surviving façade and stairway of the Church of Mater Dei, built between 1602 and 1640, together with remains of the adjoining college. Fire devastated the complex in 1835. What remains makes the front of a building unusually easy to study as a composition. Let your eye travel from the broad steps to the carved upper levels, then compare which opening or detail gives the façade its strongest sense of rhythm.
Editorial sources
- Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau · Ruins of St Paul’s College
- Macao Government Tourism Office · A-Ma Temple
Editorial review:
Before travelling, check current access, opening times and entry requirements with the relevant official sources.
.jpg){kind=link}
