Guia Fortress, Historic Centre of Macau

In the past 10+ years, I have been to Macau 5 times. Most of the time, it was a quick "stopover", only the trip at the end of 2019 allowed me to wander around for a few days. November and December are the best times to visit Macau, with just the right temperature and humidity! Not far north of the Metropark Hotel where I stayed at the time is "Guia Fortress". Starting from the hotel, I walked across a pedestrian overpass and hiked up the hill along the "Guia Hill Fitness Trail". (You can also choose to take the cable car in the nearby Flora Garden) A gentle breeze brushed my face, and local friends running passed by along the way. When travel has long become a "seasoning" deeply rooted in people's hearts, not a "luxury", the best way to travel is no longer rushing between attractions to check in, but to blend into the environment and experience life as a "local". ♦️Guia Fortress, also known as Songshan Fortress, is located at the summit of Guia Hill, the highest point on the Macau Peninsula, overlooking the entire peninsula. It is one of the Eight Views of Macau, "Lighthouse and Pine Waves". Guia Fortress includes Guia Fortress, the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia, and Guia Lighthouse. On July 15, 2005, as part of the Historic Centre of Macau, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List. ♦️Guia Fortress was built in 1622, expanded and renovated in 1637, and completed in 1638. It includes guardhouses, a powder magazine, a tower, etc. Since then, the fortress has always been designated as a military restricted area, and outsiders were not allowed to enter without permission. It was only open to the public on August 5th for the Feast of Our Lady and on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month for the Chong Yang Festival. In 1976, after the Portuguese army withdrew from Macau, the fortress was opened as a tourist spot and still maintains its original appearance to this day. ♦️Guia Lighthouse was built in 1865 and is the first modern lighthouse on the Chinese coast. It was damaged by a storm in 1874 and was reopened on June 29, 1910, after renovation, and has been in use ever since. The main structure is cylindrical, with a base diameter of 7 meters tapering to 5 meters at the top, a total height of 15 meters. It has three internal levels connected by a spiral staircase, and a large searchlight is installed at the top. ♦️The Chapel of Our Lady of Guia is located next to Guia Lighthouse, built in 1622, where the Portuguese worshipped "Our Lady of the Snow". In 1996, the Macau government carried out internal preservation and restoration work on the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia and discovered remnants of frescoes depicting biblical stories and figures using Chinese painting techniques. The entire scene demonstrates the fusion of Chinese and Western culture and art, which is unique locally. Starting in 1998, a group of experts began restoring the frescoes inside the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia. In 2001, the restoration work was completed, and it was reopened.