Guia Fortress

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Guia Fortress or Fortaleza da Guia (Chinese: 東望洋炮台) is a historical military fort, chapel, and lighthouse complex in Macau. The complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Centre of Macau.

[edit] Construction

The fort and chapel were constructed between 1622 and 1638. The lighthouse was constructed between 1864 and 1865, the first western style lighthouse in east Asia or on the China coast. The lighthouse stands at 91 meters tall, and has a light visible for some 20 miles in clear weather conditions. The complex was built upon the highest point on Macau, Guia Hill, and named after the same location.

[edit] History

The fortress played a small role in repulsing an attempted Dutch invasion of Macau in 1622, during which a cannonball (fired from another Macau fort) abruptly ended the invasion plans by landing in a powder keg onboard a Dutch ship. In 1998, frescoes were uncovered in the chapel during routine conservation work, representing both western and Chinese themes. Today, the site is a tourist destination.