Travel Blog: Day 3 : Taipa House Museum 龍環葡韻住宅式博物館, Church of Our Lady of Carmel (嘉模聖母教堂)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Day 3 : Taipa House Museum 龍環葡韻住宅式博物館, Church of Our Lady of Carmel (嘉模聖母教堂)

After Rua do Cunha, we made our way to Taipa House Museums

Will these stairways lead to Taipa House Museum?

Got a bit lost but later still managed to find the way to Taipa House Museums

Very well maintained House museums set in a very peaceful and serene environment along Avenida da Praia 海邊馬路. Very pretty indeed.

The Taipa Houses-Museum, the Carmo Church, the Carmo Library, and the two little gardens, all together, form one of the eight views of Macau. All of these attractions are located in one area, near and along the Avenida da Praia.

The Taipa Houses-Museum includes five ordinary green houses with Macanese (mix of Macau and Portugal) architectural designs. It is considered one of the cultural relics and heritages of the Island.

These five blocks of jade green color little villas are the most cultural relic building and cultural heritage of the Island.

At the same time, it is one of the most delightful sights in the whole of Macau.

The houses that comprise the Taipa Houses-Museum were established in the year 1921. Back then, they were the residences of very highly respected people who were considered as superiors among the people. Some Macanese families also lived in them.

In the 80's, the Tourist Department of Macau, now known as the Macau Government Tourist Office, bought and recovered the houses.
The government of Macau decided, in the late 90's, to fully remodel the houses and turn them into the Taipa Houses-Museum. This is to recognize the important architectural value of the houses and the history that these houses have.

The houses were named as "Macanese House," "House of the Islands," "House of the Portugal Regions," "Exhibition Gallery," and "House for Reception."

On December 5, 1999, the Taipa Houses-Museum was made open to public and is now administered by the Civil and Municipal Affairs Bureau.

Venetian Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel, City of Dreams and 3 other new hotels under construction in cotai strip can be seen from across the small lake. You can just sit down and relax on the benches along Avenida da Praia and admire the view.

Church of Our Lady of Carmel (嘉模聖母教堂) belongs to the Nossa Senhora do Carmo Parish (聖嘉模堂區) was built in 1885 on top of the hill overlooking Coloane Island. The door was locked so we could not get in.