Historic Centre of Macao
Macao, a lucrative port of strategic importance in
the development of international trade, was under Portuguese
administration from the mid-16th century until 1999, when it came under
Chinese sovereignty. With its historic street, residential, religious
and public Portuguese and Chinese buildings, the historic centre of
Macao provides a unique testimony to the meeting of aesthetic, cultural,
architectural and technological influences from East and West. The site
also contains a fortress and a lighthouse, the oldest in China. It
bears witness to one of the earliest and longest-lasting encounters
between China and the West, based on the vibrancy of international
trade.