Home Culture

Guia Fortress

Guia Fortress

Write: Dawa [2011-05-23]

Together with the Guia Lighthouse and Guia Chapel, the Guia Fortress is one of the historic sites of Macau that lies on the Guia Hill. The Lighthouse has stood on the peak of Guia Hill for more than 140 years and is the 1st modern lighthouse on the Chinese coast and the oldest in the Far East. A lantern is installed on top of the circular observation platform, and the light transmitter is reached by a flight of spiral stairs inside. While access is not usually allowed to the tower, the Macau Port Authority will open it to the public on May 20 and 21.

From this viewpoint, the whole of the Peninsula and the Macau' Historic Centre can be seen.

Guia Fortress

The Guia Chapel was originally established by nuns who resided at the site before establishing the Convent of St. Clare. Frescoes were uncovered inside the Chapel during routine conservation work, depicting representations of both Western and Chinese themes and motifs of religious and mythological inspiration that are a perfect example of Macau's multicultural society. Guia Fortress, along with the chapel and lighthouse are symbols of Macau's maritime, military and missionary past.

Tourists can reach Guia Hill by taxi or by a short cable car ride from the entrance of Flora Garden, on the top of the hill stands not only the Guia Fortress but four underground tunnels that served as air raid shelters and extend in all directions, which opened to the public in 2005, the longest tunnel measures with 456 metres and the shortest with 47 metres.