Residence of the Consulate

Both buildings are in hilltops facing the Praya grande as it was a tradition in Macau for Public buildings or wealthy merchants.
The Consul Residence (top) was the former Belavista, which means “beautiful view”, was part of the chain of Mandarin hotel group. Was built in 1870’s for a Macanese family.
In 1890, a British navy officer bough the building as a retreat Inn for Hong Kong Expatriates that come to Macau as a place for rest.
From 1917 to 1923 was used as Liceu, a Macanese high Scholl. Was one of the several buildings used as a refugee center during WWII.
Three years after the war is open as a hotel, until 1999 when become the residence for the Portuguese consul in Macau.
The present Portuguese Consulate (below) was the former St. Raphael Hospital, founded in 1568 by the bishop Don Melchior Carneiro. Later expanded and new wings were added.

In the 1970’s St Raphael could not compete with the prices and quality services offered by Government Hospital Conde St. January in Guia Hill.
Orient Foundation bough the building in 1988 and rented to the Macau Monetary authority.
Following the handover of Macau Administration in 1999, the building is used as the Portuguese Consulate, busy with requirements and services for the more than 100.000 Portuguese passports holders based in Macau.
A large car park is under the front steeply inclined garden.
A fake columns and verandas façade crowned by a rudimentary pediment cover the simplicity this neoclassic building, that had change color several times, red, green, now yellow.

Two primitive wooden churches annexed to the College were lost in fires. In 1602, a new church was erected with a tilled roof, stone in the facade and wooden columns in the central nave. The sidewalls were made of Chunambo or Taipa (a compacted cemetitious amalgam of muddy earth mixed with straw and lime from oyster shells, sometimes reinforced with wood). The main architect of this last church was the Genovese Carlo Spinola. Chinese and Japanese craftsman worked together in the construction and decoration as is clear apparent in the church facade. The Jesuits also built a Forte, connected with the college by exterior staircases and internally by tunnels. In 1762 the Jesuits were expelled and the monastery was used by the main protagonists of the second encounter, the military. In 1835 a fire in the kitchen devastated the entire compound. In 1995 Archaeological excavations were performed, unveiling some of the old structures. The facade of the Church of Mater Dei
Triumphant Church, Heaven Pediment: Gift of Grace, The Holy Spirit 4th Row; Christ Saviour of the World 3th Row; Assumption of Mary, the new Eva, Theotocus and Mediatrix Militant Church, Earth 2th Row; Glory of Jesuit’s Saints 1th Row.
The “japanese” St. Michael