St. Joseph's Seminary and Church
A Jesuit seminary and domed baroque church, long the main training school for missionaries in the region.
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UNESCO World Heritage
St Joseph's Seminary was founded by the Jesuits in 1728 and trained missionaries for China and the wider region for two centuries, and its church, completed in 1758, is the fullest expression of baroque architecture in Macao, with a scrolled facade and a dome over the crossing that is unusual anywhere in East Asia. A relic of St Francis Xavier is kept here. The seminary buildings around it remain in use and are not open to visitors.
What you actually see
- The dome - the crossing dome, unusual for a church in this part of the world.
- The baroque facade - the scrolled front reached up a flight of steps.
- The Xavier relic - the arm bone kept in the church.
- The 1728 seminary - the buildings that trained missionaries for two centuries.
When to go
October to December is dry and cool. The church keeps daytime hours and closes at midday. The seminary itself is not open.
Honest expectations
The church closes for a period in the middle of the day. The seminary buildings are in use and cannot be visited. Access is up a flight of steps from a quiet lane.
Nearby
St Augustine's Square is north, and St Lawrence's is east.
What to pack for St. Joseph's Seminary and Church
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.