The A-Ma Temple, located in the southeast of the Macau Peninsula, and is believed to be Macau's oldest temple, and is oldest structure still standing in the city. It was constructed in the year of 1488 of the Ming
Dynasty to commemorate Mazu, the sacred sea goddess who
blesses the fishermen.
It is said that the goddess was called Lin Mo,
and that she was born in Putian City, Fujian Province, and was more
intelligent than other children her age - she could predict good or ill
luck and after her death she often helped merchants and fishermen ward
off calamities and turn danger into safety. Now there are a number of
folktales about the great goddess narrated in the littoral lands!! It's the site of much emotional fervour, especially in April during the joyous festival of the birth of A-Ma. The variety of pavilions dedicated to the worship of different
deities in a single complex make A-Ma Temple an exemplary representation
of Chinese culture inspired by Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and
multiple folk beliefs. The temple has been listed in the World Heritage
records in 2005, together with the Historic Centre of Macau.
How to visit:
It's located in Barra Square. From the ferry terminal, you can take bus no. 10A and
get off at Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Avenida Almeida. Then you can
walk to the Ruins of St. Paul. The same bus will take you to A-ma
Temple. Afterwards, you can take bus no. 21A near the temple and get off
at City of Dreams. It is within walking distance to the Venetian.
The opening hours are from 7am to 6pm, and there's no entrance fee. Maybe 1 hour is good for your visit :) You also have many local shops selling the local snacks of Macau, don't forget to take a bite there!
Check out the 1-7 days tours envolving this beautiful temple!
Happy journeys in Macau!
