Mountain fort in Macau
The Mountain Fort in Macau stands out from the rest of the city's attractions. Macau is primarily known to tourists as a city with a huge number of casinos, bars, restaurants and various exclusive and expensive vacation spots. But there are also historical places here that deserve special attention. The fort is a cultural monument of the city.
History of creation
The mountain fort in Macau is located on one of the highest points of the city - on Mount Macau and was built in 1626. This location was not chosen by chance, since the mountain served as an excellent viewing point for the surrounding areas, the sea and the bay. Initially, such forts served as defensive structures and served as points of defense against the Dutch, who were constantly attacking the city and waging war with Portugal, which at that time owned the modern city of Macau.
In order to protect their possessions, the Portuguese actively built forts and bastions in the city, with the help of which they held back attacks on the city from the sea. Construction of the mountain fort in Macau lasted approximately 10 years. The fort served as an excellent place of defense and perfectly repelled all enemy attacks from the sea, so outbuildings and barracks were actively built here, in which the city’s garrison was located. The purpose of the fort changed - they stopped attacking the city, and the fort was transformed into a cultural monument. It should be noted that to this day it has been preserved in very good condition.
Architectural features
As already mentioned, the mountain fort in Macau is located on the top of a hill and rises 50 meters above sea level. The shape of the photo is trapezoidal, the walls were made of thick blocks, the thickness of which is 10 meters. The corners of the fort, and there are four of them, are protected by huge bastions, on which special platforms are located - places for installing guns. All cannons face the sea and were actively used to fight the Dutch.
Other buildings of the mountain fort in Macau have been preserved in their original form - barracks, outbuildings, warehouses, and an arsenal with weapons. All of these buildings can be entered freely. Between these buildings there is a beautiful park with its own unique plants. Inside the fort there is also the Macau Museum, which consists of several halls. The museum contains a collection of the history of Macau - various old objects, manuscripts. There is also a hall dedicated to the traditions of the indigenous people of Macau. The museum collection is very interesting - clothing, tools, household items, as well as various furniture of the indigenous population are collected in one place.
In addition, many tourists love to visit the observation deck of the fort, which offers a magnificent view of Macau and the seashore of the city. Here you can take beautiful photos and preserve memories for a lifetime. The mountain fort in Macau is a piece of the history of this amazing city. The original history of the city's indigenous population and unique architecture of the 17th century have been preserved here. Such places are cultural monuments and are carefully protected by the city authorities. The place is recommended for visiting by tourists.
