Hi there,
I'm back again! This time, I'm going to blog about one of the many historical buildings in Macau. I must say, Macau has an interesting mix of the old and new. You can see the latest new buildings like the Wynn Macau, Venetian Macau as well as the historical churches and mansions still preserved in place.
The Lou Kau Mansion, located in Travessa de Se No. 7, near the Cathedral, is the former residence of the family of Lou Wa Sio (Lou Kau), a prominent merchant in Macau. According to the date written on a poem on the eaves of the courtyard to the left of the entrance, it was built in the 15th year of the reign of Qing Dynasty Emperor Guang Xu(1889).
Constructed in grey brick, the two-storey xiguan-style building is one of the best-preserved traditional Chinese house in Macau. Like many other xiguan houses, Lou Kau Mansion has detailed decorations such as brick relief, plaster ornamentation, decorative lattice carvings and mother-of-pearl windows, perforated ceilings to facilitate ventilation, iron railings, reflecting a combination of Chinese and Western architecture.
There is a narrow winding wooden staircase connecting the two-storey building. You must be very careful because the steps are really small, very 'olden times' instead!
When I was there visiting, they are having an umbrella making session with some students around. The umbrellas are very exquisite and traditional. There were two groups of students under the guidance of two teachers.
The Lou Kau Mansion is open only on Sat, Sun and Public Holidays and the admission is free. Opening hours is from 9am to 6pm. I am lucky to be able to visit it because that day was a Sunday, yeah! So, if you are into historical sites, this is one mansion that you must visit if you are in Macau.
That's all for now, please check back soon!
Acknowledgements:
Excepts from www.macautourism.gov.mo
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