Moorish Barracks

Macau


These former barracks (c 1874) were designed by an Italian in a neoclassical style inspired by Moorish architecture to accommodate Muslim Indian policemen from Goa. The confusion of Muslims with Moors was due to the fact that dated Cantonese refers to Indians as ‘moh loh cha’, and ‘moh loh’ is a transliteration of ‘Moorish’. You can't enter the building, occupied by the Macau Maritime Administration, but it's worth having a peek from the outside if you're in the vicinity.


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