Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral in China, Macau Resort
Rating: 7,7/10 (1233 votes)  The ruins of this cathedral – it is one of the greatest examples of Eastern Christian architecture. These ruins are located in the very center of the peninsula. The ruins of the cathedral combine Chinese and Portuguese architectural traditions. About two hundred years ago, this cathedral was one of the main Christian temples in all of eastern Asia. It was named after the apostle Paul, who was highly revered in Macau. Some sources speak of it as a cathedral of the Mother of God. The construction of the cathedral was completed by 1638 by the Italian Jesuits. It was built of wood and decorated with colorful ornaments. This was in keeping with the culture of those times. The cathedral was a five-story building. The main entrances were decorated with bas-reliefs. On the fourth floor, one could see a sculpture of Jesus, and on the third - and ndash; image of the Madonna. A gallery led to the top floor, on the walls of which saints and angels were depicted. On the top floor there was the face of the Virgin Mary and the image of the Holy Trinity. Today, parts of these frescoes can be seen in the Macau Museum. In 1835, the temple was almost completely destroyed by fire. Only the staircase and the front facade, to which this staircase leads, have been preserved. The cathedral was not rebuilt, most likely due to the decrease in Macau's influence on the region. The facade was renovated in 1991 under the direction of Carlo Spinola, an Italian architect. The niches of the facade, above which the Jerusalem cross rises, are occupied by bronze statues. We also recommend reading Temple of the goddess A-Ma in China, Macau resort Topic: Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral in China, Macau Resort. |
