St Augustine Square

Written by ivana Updated Jun. 18, 2021

St. Augustine Square is located at the top of a small hill, where you can explore, experience and discover the cobble-stoned square of the church set in a traditional Portuguese-style street.

St. Augustine Church,situated on the Square(also called Largo de Santo Agostinho), is a Portuguese style piazza which contains other historic buildings as well. Renovated in 1814, it is a simple yet very distinctive Catholic church.

The square is a lovely tourist sight, with cobble stone streets that you can find in many areas around historic Macao. What’s more appealing of this square is numbers of UNESCO attractions located directly around it. Visitors can feel free to enjoy the scenic spots collectively.

Legends and Stories

With an ages-long history and tradition, St. Augustine’s Square itself can tell us a lot about its stories and legends.Following the age old tradition of the Easter Procession through the city, the square is steeped in religious folklore.

One story has it that when the statue of Christ here was moved to the Cathedral by church authorities, it would mysteriously return to this church. In order to mark this, the procession of Our Lord of the Passion (Nosso Senhor dos Passos) is held every year on the first Sunday of Lent. These days, the statue is taken to the Cathedral for a night, carried through the streets the next day and brought back to St. Augustine's.

Another story is that in 1712 when the Augustinian priests were expelled, the procession was also banned. Inexplicably, there was a sudden food shortage. People immediately attributed it to the ban and demanded that the procession resume – which it did of course, and to everyone’s relief, the food shortage also ended.

The Church

St. Augustine’s Church, dating back to 1586, was set up by priests of the Spanish Augustinian order but was taken over by the Portuguese Augustinians a few years later.

With a long history, the architecture of the St. Augustine Church is quite classic and elegant. It is also an attractive spot to visit while you are in Macao. The window frames and louvers are painted dark green while the pilasters and volutes are in white. The main entrance door is flanked by two pairs of Doric granite columns. The windows on the facade are bordered with white plaster work.

Similar to many old Catholic churches in Macao, the interior is lavishly ornamented with religious pieces of art. The color scheme within the church echoes the exterior – pastel yellow, white and light green.

For those looking to escape the crowds that focus on the area of Senado Square to the Ruins of St. Paul, we highly recommend making your way to St. Augustine Square to see the attractions here.

Cluster of Attractions

While full of similar architecture, the square is a place much more relaxed and comfortable. The square itself is beautiful and is surrounded by other great attractions, like the Sir Robert Tung Ho Library, the Dom Pedro V Theater, and St Augustine's Church.

Virtually opposite the church is the stately, elegant jade green Dom Pedro V Theatre which was commissioned some 150 years ago and was the first western style theatre in China. Do also have a quick look at St. Joseph's Seminary and Sir Robert Ho Tung Library both of which are also on St. Augustine's Square.

The location of St. Augustine Square is about 6-8 minute walk from Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, where visitors are usually dropped off to begin their visits to the Historic Center of Macao.

Interestingly, there are 4 World Heritage attractions on the tiny St. Augustine Square but it maintains a quiet, tranquil feel, making it a very nice place to visit and spend a bit of time during your trip to Macao.

There are also cafes, both in the square and nearby, you may want a snack and a bit of a rest. And strongly recommend you a local coffee shop called Terra Coffee, which opened here a couple years ago. This is a great place to stop for a cup of hand-brewed or iced coffee in between your sightseeing exhausts.

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