Often seen as the symbol of Macau in brochures and tourist guides, the St. Paul’s Ruins represents Macau’s blend of East and West. Today, the facade is all that remains of this first Western college in Asia which opened as a religious institution back in 1565 because the church fell victim to fires not once, but three times. A disastrous kitchen fire destroyed the church and college on January 26, 1835, leaving only the facade above a flight of staircase.
Getting there: The St. Paul’s Ruins stands squarely in the center of Macau. Once you arrive at Senado Square, and walk past the St. Domingo’s church, continue to your right and walk straight until you reach Haagen Dazs. Turn left, walk to the end of the street and take a right. Walk up a slope, where to the left and right you will encounter people baking biscuits or selling Chinese furniture. You will then reach the staircase leading up to the facade.
