Guia Fortress

Capela de Nossa Senhora da Guia and Guia Lighthouse at the Guia Fortress.
Distant view of Guia Hill and Guia Fortress (center left of the picture).

The Guia Fortress (Portuguese: Fortaleza da Guia; Chinese: 東望洋炮台) is a 17th-century colonial military fort, chapel, and lighthouse complex. It is in the St. Lazarus Parish, Concelho de Macau, Macau.

The complex is part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site.

Architecture

The fort and chapel were constructed between 1622 and 1638, after an unsuccessful attempt by the Netherlands to capture colonial Portuguese Macau from Portugal.

Lighthouse

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 Guia Hill, which stands at 91.4 metres (300 ft) 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. Today, the site is a tourist destination.

Chapel

The chapel (Portuguese: Capela de Nossa Senhora da Guia; Chinese: 聖母雪地殿教堂) was built around 1622 inside the Guia Fortress.

In 1998, frescoes were uncovered in the chapel during routine conservation work, representing both western and Chinese themes.

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Guia Fortress.

Coordinates: 22°11′47″N 113°33′00″E / 22.1965°N 113.55°E / 22.1965; 113.55

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