The Guia Fort and Lighthouse, Macau is one of the oft visited Macau Tourist Attractions. Macau is a Special Administrative Region of China and was under Portuguese rule for 329 years. The Chinese government assumed sovereignty of Macau on 20th December 1999. Therefore you can see a rich colonial heritage along with Chinese influences. The Guia Fort and Lighthouse, Macau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is part of the Historic Centre of Macau.
The fort and lighthouse was the chief observation post of the city during colonial times. The Guia Fort and Lighthouse, Macau is located on the highest point in the city on top of Guia Hill. It was built in 1637-38 and was constructed for defending the city against attacks from the sea. Inside the fortress are barracks, a water cistern, ammunition and equipment stores, commander's house and a beautiful chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guia.
One of the most prominent features of the Guia Fort and Lighthouse, Macau is the lighthouse. It was built in 1865 and is the oldest one on the Chinese coast. The lighthouse is 91 meters high and the light can be seen from 20 miles around. The base of the Guia Lighthouse, Macau is 7 meters in diameter and narrows upwards to 5 meters. On the top of the lighthouse is a circular observation platform with a lantern.
The chapel which is located by the lighthouse was constructed in 1626. It was established by the Clarist nuns who resided here before the establishment of the Convent of St.Clare. The frescoes inside the chapel feature both Chinese and western religious and mythological themes. The chapel has a simple façade with a yellow triangular pediment on pilasters. The nave measures 16 by 4.7 meters and the interior vaulting is supported by thick walls along with buttresses running along the perimeter of the chapel. Inside the chapel, the sacristy is on the left of the chancel and above the entrance is a small choir. The roof of the chapel is covered with traditional reddish ceramic tiles.
There is also a post near the Guia Fort and Lighthouse, Macau where warning signals were hoisted to warn of approaching typhoons. But earlier the bells of the chapel were rung to announce storm warnings. The Guia Fort, Macau is built in a trapezoidal plan and covers 800 square meters.
For more information on Guia Fort and Lighthouse, Macau, click on travel.mapsofworld.com.
| 
