A-Ma Temple of Na Tcha

Na Tcha Temple at Senado Square

The Na Tcha Temple at Senado Square is located on the right side behind the Ruins of St. Paul's, established in 1888 and reconstructed in 1901. The temple enshrines the deity Na Tcha and is one of the two surviving Na Tcha temples in Macau. The Na Tcha Temple at Senado Square is often regarded as a symbol of the harmonious coexistence of Chinese and Western cultures in Macau, and became part of the Historic Centre of Macau in 2005.

The Na Tcha Temple at Senado Square shares the same hillside with the Ruins of St. Paul's, nestled against the side of the old city wall. The structure is 8.4 meters deep and 4.51 meters wide, featuring a two-courtyard layout without an inner courtyard — a relatively rare design among traditional Chinese temples. The building mainly consists of a connected entrance hall and main hall, with the main hall being 5 meters deep. All four walls are constructed from blue bricks, whose surfaces have been plastered and the brick lines redrawn. The roof follows a traditional flush-gable style, with the main ridge standing 5 meters high and the eaves reaching over 3 meters. The overall color scheme is primarily grey, with only minimal decorative motifs such as grass-like patterns on the gable walls, and generally lacks elaborate ornamentation.

Compared to the surrounding buildings, the Na Tcha Temple resembles a small architectural gem. Rather than competing with the old city wall and the Ruins of St. Paul's in terms of solidity and grandeur, it showcases a delicate and unique image through the use of simple decorative materials and contrasting techniques of solid and void.

Na Tcha Temple

Must-visit reason: One of the most noteworthy Na Tcha temples in Macau

St. Anthony's Parish [St. Anthony Parish]