Moorish Barracks

The Moorish Barracks were built in 1874 on the slope above the inner harbour to house a regiment brought from Portuguese Goa, and the Italian architect gave the building arched verandas, horseshoe openings and a parapet drawn from Mughal India rather than from Portugal or China, which makes it unlike anything else in the city. It now houses the Marine and Water Bureau, so only the exterior and the veranda are open.

History

The barracks were built in August 1874, to the design of an Italian architect, to house a regiment from Goa in Portuguese India; in 1905 they became the headquarters of the Macau Port Authority, they now house the Marine and Water Bureau, and in 2005 they became one of the sites of the Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Moorish Barracks).

What you'll find

• The Mughal detailing - horseshoe arches and parapets drawn from Indian models.
• The arched veranda - the covered walk along the front, open to visitors.
• The Goa connection - a barracks built for a regiment brought from Portuguese India.
• The harbour position - the building on the slope above the inner harbour.

When to go

October to December is dry and cool. Only the veranda is accessible and it is open in daylight hours. The interior is a working government office.

Practical notes

The interior is a government office and closed to visitors. Only the veranda and exterior can be seen, which takes fifteen minutes. There is no interpretation on site.

Nearby

Lilau Square is north, and A-Ma Temple is south.

Key facts