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SCMP

This article was first published on July 16, 2005.
By Freda Wan
Her­it­age list­ing hailed as key to widen­ing Macau’s appeal
Macau’s aim to pos­i­tion itself as something more than a gambling hub received a boost on Tuesday night (July 15, 2005) when many of its land­marks were added to Unesco’s World Herit­age list.
The 29 sites, which played a key role in the earli­est encoun­ters between east and west, now rank along­side such famed sites as China’s Great Wall and the Angkor temples in Cam­bodia.
The announce­ment was made last night at a con­fer­ence of the United Nations Educational, Sci­entific and Cul­tural Organ­isa­tion in Durban, South Africa.
The sites – described by Macau chief exec­ut­ive Edmund Ho Hauwah as a “unique, peerless jewel” – incor­por­ate many Por­tuguese build­ings that were the first of their kind on Chinese soil.

They include churches, sem­in­ar­ies, fort­resses, a uni­versity, hos­pital, theatre, light­house and cemetery.
“This car­ries enorm­ous sig­ni­fic­ance for us, but we’re not going to be com­pla­cent,” Mr Ho said yes­ter­day.
The his­tor­ical zone includes streets­capes and piaz­zas such as Barra Square, Lilau Square, St Augustine’s Square, Sen­ado Square, Cathed­ral Square, St Dominic’s Square, Com­pany of Jesus Square and Camões Square.
These provide links to more than 20 sites, includ­ing the A-Ma Temple, Moor­ish Bar­racks, Man­darin’s House, St Lawrence’s Church, St Joseph’s Sem­in­ary, Dom Pedro V Theatre, Sir Robert Ho Tung Lib­rary, St Augustine’s Church, Leal Sen­ado Build­ing, Sam Kai Vui Kun Temple, Holy House of Mercy, the Cathed­ral, Lou Kau Man­sion, St Dominic’s Church, Ruins of St Paul’s, Na Tcha Temple, a sec­tion of the Old City Walls, Fort­ress Hill, St Anthony’s Church, Casa Garden, the Prot­est­ant Cemetery and Guia Fort­ress.

Kar­man Yeung Ka-man, vice-­pres­id­ent of the Macau Hotels Asso­ci­ation, said the World Her­it­age sites would become Macau’s new­est tour­ism product.
“Just as Dis­ney­land or Uni­ver­sal Stu­dios are a tour­ism product, her­it­age will also be a tour­ism product, only more real and unique,” Mr Yeung said.
“As a hotelier, I see this as def­in­itely a bonus for our busi­ness. Our guest mix can be more diverse.”

Tang Keng-ben, pres­id­ent of the Macau Her­it­age Asso­ci­ation, said res­id­ents already were more aware of pro­tect­ing their cul­tural her­it­age, but warned that after the suc­cess­ful bid some people might think the job was done.
“In the past few years, aware­ness has been rising,” he said.
“But whether we can make [the aware­ness] more sys­tem­atic and more sus­tain­able is something we might have to work on.”
Macau was the only site nom­in­ated by China for the World Her­it­age list in 2005.
For 2006, China has announced plans to nom­in­ate the Yin Ruins, Any­ang, and the Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan.


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Macau

Macau’s historic centre added to Unesco World Heritage list in 2005 – from SCMP archive

Ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral in Macau. Photo: Getty Images 

A clipping from SCMP’s July 16, 2005 issue. Photo: SCMP

Macau’s A-Ma Temple with parts that date back 600 years. Photo: Getty Images

St Augustine’s Square in Macau’s Unesco World Heritage area. Photo: Xinhua

China’s ancient Silk Road tombs join Unesco World Heritage list

China’s newest Unesco World Heritage site is home to nine imperial mausoleums dating back to the Western Xia dynasty (1038-1227), which was ruled by the Tangut people. Photo: Xinhua 

Around 7,100 artefacts have been excavated from the ancient burial site, including these ornamental roof motifs. Photo: Administrative Office of Xixia Tomb Area of Yinchuan

Safety scare over Hong Kong public housing drinking water in 2015 - from the SCMP archive

A resident of Kai Tak’s Kai Ching Estate stocks up on water from a temporary tap on July 11, 2015, as excessive amounts of lead were found in fresh water samples from the public housing complex. File photo: Felix Wong

A clipping of the Post’s front page on July 12, 2015. Photo: SCMP

Residents of Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak stock up on water from a temporary water supply tanker after drinking water was found to be tainted with lead in July 2015. File photo: Felix Wong

Fung Hong-fong, 75, using water collected directly from the street to cook in Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak in July 2015. File photo: Nora Tam

Cambodia’s brutal Khmer Rouge reminders join Unesco’s World Heritage list

Visitors walk by the mass grave of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime next to a memorial stupa filled with victims’ skulls at the Choeung Ek killing field in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: AP

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. Photo: AFP

Victorious Khmer Rouge troops enter Phnom Penh along Monivong Boulevard on the morning of April 17, 1975. Photo: Roland Neveu

Students perform a reenactment of Khmer Rouge crimes to mark the annual Day of Remembrance at the Choeung Ek memorial in Phnom Penh on May 20. Photo: AFP

News

China

On this day 20 years ago, Macanese landmarks like the Ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral and A-Ma Temple were recognised by Unesco for their historical significance


On this day 20 years ago, Macanese landmarks like the Ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral and A-Ma Temple were recognised by Unesco for their historical significance.


From our archives

France

Portugal

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

On This DayMacau’s historic centre added to Unesco World Heritage list in 2005 – from SCMP archive

On this day 20 years ago, Macanese landmarks like the Ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral and A-Ma Temple were recognised by Unesco for their historical significance

Heritage listing hailed as key to widening Macau’s appeal

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}On this day 20 years ago, Macanese landmarks like the Ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral and A-Ma Temple were recognised by Unesco for their historical significance

Her­it­age list­ing hailed as key to widen­ing Macau’s appeal

On this day 20 years ago, Macanese landmarks like the Ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral and A-Ma Temple were recognised by Unesco for their historical significance

Heritage listing hailed as key to widening Macau’s appeal