'Octagonal Pavilion' as it is called in Chinese was built in 1926 as a drinks booth. Today this unusual eight-sided pavilion, located in downtown Macau, is used as a public library. The red windows and door are Western in style, as are the sculpted columns and entablature. But the two floors of the library are separated by green Chinese eaves. It's a serene place where retirees go to read the day's news.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Ruins of the Church of St Paul
0.4 MILES
The most treasured icon in Macau, the towering facade and stairway are all that remain of this early-17th-century Jesuit church. With its statues, portals…
Tai O
20.81 MILES
On weekends, droves of visitors trek to the far-flung west coast of Lantau to see a fascinating way of life. Here in Tai O, historical home to the Tanka…
Guia Fortress & Chapel
0.46 MILES
As the highest point on the peninsula, Guia Fortress affords panoramic views of the city. At the top is the small but stunning Chapel of Our Lady of Guia,…
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library
0.4 MILES
This charming building, founded in the 19th century, was the country retreat of the late tycoon Robert Ho Tung, who purchased it in 1918. The colonial…
Kun Iam Temple
0.92 MILES
Macau’s oldest temple was founded in the 13th century, but the present structures date to 1627. The roof ridges are ornately embellished with porcelain…
Sam Kai Vui Kun Temple
0.32 MILES
Literally ‘a community hall for three streets’, this temple was a meeting place for merchants and an adjudication court, before the Chinese Chamber of…
Church of St Augustine
0.36 MILES
The foundations of this church date from 1586 when it was established by Spanish Augustinians, but the present structure was built in 1814. The high altar…
Church of St Lawrence
0.48 MILES
One of Macau's three oldest churches, St Lawrence was originally constructed of wood in the 1560s, then rebuilt in stone in the early 19th century. The…
Nearby Macau attractions
1. Oriental & Occidental Arts Gallery
0.17 MILES
This art space on the ground floor of a residential building only opens for shows and events. The exhibitions here straddle cultures and genres – such as…
2. Sé Cathedral
0.17 MILES
East of Largo do Senado is this cathedral, consecrated in 1850 and rebuilt in 1937 in concrete. It’s not a particularly attractive structure, though it…
3. Gallery of Macau's Gaming History
0.18 MILES
Macau's gambling industry goes back to the 16th century, when labourers from China played a game called 'fan-tan' in makeshift stalls. While scholars have…
4. AFA
0.2 MILES
Some of Macau’s best contemporary art can be seen at this nonprofit gallery, which has taken Macau's art worldwide and holds monthly solo exhibitions by…
5. Lou Kau Mansion
0.22 MILES
Built around 1889, this Cantonese-style mansion with southern European elements belonged to merchant Lou Wa Sio (aka Lou Kau), who also commissioned the…
6. Museum of the Holy House of Mercy
0.26 MILES
In the heart of Largo do Senado is Macau's oldest charitable institution (c 1569). The house once sheltered orphans and prostitutes in the 17th- and 18th…
7. Church of St Dominic
0.28 MILES
Smack in the heart of Macau's historic centre, this sunny yellow baroque church with a beautiful altar and a timber roof was founded by three Spanish…
8. Treasure of Sacred Art
0.28 MILES
Northeast of Largo do Senado, the 17th-century baroque Church of St Dominic contains the Treasure of Sacred Art, an Aladdin’s cave of ecclesiastical art…