Cathedral of Macau

The cathedral, dedicated to the Nativity of Our Lady, stands on a raised square a short walk from Senado Square, and the present building dates from a 1937 rebuilding in concrete after typhoons repeatedly wrecked its predecessors, which makes it plainer than the older churches around it. Stained glass fills the sanctuary. The bishops of Macao are buried in a crypt beneath, and the square in front is one of those included in the UNESCO listing. The first church on the site was a small wooden chapel of the early seventeenth century, raised to cathedral in 1623, and every rebuilding since has been a response to storm damage rather than to changing taste.

History

In the early 17th century a small wooden chapel stood here, and it was raised to cathedral only in 1623; before that the diocese was based at St Lazarus' Church. The first cathedral of stone, consecrated in 1850 by Bishop Jerónimo José da Mata, was badly damaged by a typhoon 24 years later, after major repairs, and in 1937 the cathedral was completely rebuilt in concrete at a cost of about 100,900 patacas. It is one of the monuments of the Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, Macau).

What you'll find

• The 1937 building - the plain concrete rebuilding after repeated typhoon damage.
• The stained glass - the windows filling the sanctuary.
• The bishops' crypt - the burials beneath the church.
• The raised square - the paved space in front, part of the inscribed centre.

When to go

October to December is dry and cool. The cathedral keeps daily hours. Mass times restrict visiting.

Practical notes

The building is twentieth-century and plainer than visitors expect from a cathedral in a historic centre. Half an hour covers it. The square outside is busy.

Nearby

Senado Square is west, and St Dominic's is beside it.

Key facts