Special Promotional Section
Also nearby the“ Yellow House” is the Na Tcha Temple. This small traditional Chinese temple, built in 1888, is dedicated to the worship of Na Tcha and stands close to the remains of the principal Jesuit enterprise of the region. It emphasizes dialectic of western and Chinese ideals and is one of the best examples of Macau’ s multicultural identity and religious freedom.
Another attraction within walking distance of the“ Yellow House” is Mount Fortress, which was built in 1617-26 and is situated on a hilltop to the east of the Ruins of St. Paul’ s. It was constructed by the Jesuits as part of a complex which also included the college and church of St. Paul’ s. The canons were used only once, when the Dutch invaded Macau in 1622. This was also the first residence of the governors of Macau.
The history of Mount Fortress is chronicled in The Macau Museum, a historical and cultural building with a vast number of objects of great historical value, which is housed within the fortress. The museum demonstrates the way of life and cultures of the various Macau communities that have inhabited the city over the ages.
The museum’ s first floor displays a short presentation of the way western and Chinese civilizations were developed before the arrival of the Portuguese in the Pearl River Delta in the 16th century.
The Macau Museum was opened in 1998, consisting of two underground levels and a third one above the fortress’ top platform where the old Meteorological Services is housed. The architectural character and special configuration of the architecture has been retained and preserved.
Macau is a city of great historical and cultural value, and the scope of cultural heritage conservation covers architecture, urban development and landscaping.
Taken from a historical and cultural perspective, protecting cultural heritage ensures the continuity of history, so that local ways of life can be safeguarded, and the foundation for carrying out sustainable development policies be established.
The other significant aspect of cultural heritage conservation is its ability to revitalize the historical background of a city that may date back hundred of years, in the process enhancing its charm. This charm serves as a vast and promising tourism resource: not only does it form the city’ s or community’ s cultural image; it also reaps major economic benefits.
In addition, protection zones have been created surrounding the protected properties. These zones are areas where there are restrictions on development, in an aim to protect the aesthetics in the vicinity of the classified heritage properties.
Since the establishment of the Macau SAR, heritage conservation work has continued on the basis of heightened efforts in education and promotion, in an aim to educate the general public and raise the level of awareness for heritage conservation, and to promote heritage tourism.
In 2005 the Historic Centre of Macao was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It gained such a listing do to the uniqueness as an international city with the combination of Chinese and Portuguese populations and as a port for international trade between disperse countries.