The Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) presents “Land of Hope – Historical Archives Exhibition on Leprosariums in Macao” – Reopening of the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho, with the aim of better utilising and revitalising the heritage buildings and enhancing the public’s understanding of the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho. The exhibition opened on 6 November at this protected heritage site in Coloane.
The Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho is the only remaining leprosarium site in Macao. The Macao government built a leprosarium here in 1885. In the 1930s, it was rebuilt and expanded into a complex with five residential houses and the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows. In 1966, the new Church of Our Lady of Sorrows was built, and the original chapel was converted into a recreation room.
Comprehensive restoration work began in phases in 2016, which enabled the partial opening of the village to the public in 2019. The Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho has now been inscribed on the list of classified immovable cultural heritage sites (read box).
The Land of Hope exhibition is divided into two sections, including the permanent exhibition at the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho, which is open to the public every day except Wednesdays, and the exhibition at the Archives of Macao, which runs until 6 May 2022, every day except Mondays and public holidays. Both exhibition sites are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The rejuvenated site is being developed for use by the community. To promote the public’s appreciation and participation in culture and arts, the Busking Programme offers a Busking Point, allowing buskers involved in visual arts and creative crafts to showcase their talents.
For more information, please visit the website of the Archives of Macao at www.archives.gov.mo, “IC Art” page on Facebook and its official WeChat account “IC_Art_Macao”.
| Cultural Affairs Bureau offers virtual tours of Guia Fortress and Mandarin’s House The “Guia Fortress” and the “Mandarin’s House”, two sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and managed by the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), have started offering online virtual tours from 22 November. The public can enjoy a 360-degree “cloud tour” of these Macao World Heritage sites by scanning a specific QR code, or by logging into the Macao World Heritage website or the Macao Cultural Heritage website. Guided tours are available in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English. The virtual tours of Macao’s World Heritage sites allow the public to experience two different types of online tours, namely the “Interactive Scenic Area” and the “Interactive Exhibits”. Visitors may browse through architectural details and high-definition photos of the exhibits, as well as listen to audio tours and read the respective written explanations, to fully enjoy the World Heritage of Macao by clicking on parts of the building and the location of the displays. |
| Macao adds 12 immovable properties to protected list The Macao SAR Government has added a further 12 heritage spots to the city’s list of protected sites of high historic or heritage value, as announced by the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau. The Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho and the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows are now part of Macao’s list of classified immovable cultural heritage sites. Among the other listed sites are three spots at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, namely the remains of the ancient College of St. Paul’s and two sections of the old wall – one located at Pátio do Espinho, and the other at Beco do Craveiro. The list also includes the archaeological remains at a nearby pit on Rua de D. Belchior Carneiro. Also added to the list were two Chinese temples: Seak Kam Tong Hang Toi in San Kio district, and Sam Seng in Coloane’s Ka Ho village. Three piers, Pier No. 1 in Macau, the old Taipa pier and the Coloane village pier, have been earmarked for protection as well along with three buildings of architectural value, including the Our Lady of Mercy Home for the Elderly. The protection list now features a total of 159 spots, namely 69 monuments, 53 buildings of architectural value, 12 architectural ensembles, and 25 sites. |
The Village of Our Lady of Ka Ho reopened on 6 November (Photo courtesy of the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau) 
The “Land of Hope – Historical Archives Exhibition on Leprosariums in Macao” showcases almost 100 selected archives and related materials (Photo courtesy of the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau)