Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro

Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro in Macau

Also called “Rua Nova,” Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro has always been the center of Macau’s commerce, transportation, and tourism, and is very lively. It is lined with numerous European-style buildings and some that still preserve traditional Chinese features. There are many attractions on and around this road, including the famous Church of St. Dominic, the Leal Senado Building, the Pawnshop Exhibition Hall, the Holy House of Mercy Museum, and the Sound of the Century Museum. The Ruins of St. Paul’s and the Macao Museum are also not far from here.

Located in the southern part of the Macau Peninsula, it starts at Avenida da Praia Grande in the south, connects to Avenida Infante D. Henrique in the east, and extends to the area between Rua do Almirante Sérgio and Rua de Pedro Nolasco da Silva in the west. The avenue is 620 meters long. Since the 1920s–1930s, it has been the most prosperous street and commercial center in Macau. However, 80 years ago, it was not a straight thoroughfare but rather a winding and disjointed road. In 1918, efforts were made to straighten out the winding alleys in the western section, level the small hill between the intersection of Rua da Longeiron and Rua da Sé in the eastern section, and demolish a large building blocking the eastern intersection. These changes created a straight road, which was then referred to as the New Road.

After the road was opened, the municipal authorities named the section from the Municipal Council to the western intersection as Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, and the stretch from the Municipal Council to the eastern intersection (where Banco Nacional Ultramarino stands today) as Avenida do Coronel Mesquita. Later, they were unified under the name Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (the name was too long, so locals still call it Rua Nova), while the newly built road in front of the Puji Temple in Mong Há was named Avenida do Coronel Mesquita. Almeida Ribeiro (1865–1929) was a judge of the Portuguese Supreme Court and served as Minister of the Colonies and Minister of the Interior from 1913 to 1917. After the 1917 coup, he was arrested as a political prisoner.

For decades, Rua Nova, along with Rua de Cinco de Outubro, Rua Central, and Rua dos Ervanários, formed Macau’s largest commercial and residential district. The street is lined with shops of all kinds, bustling with traffic throughout the day. Along the road are the New Central Hotel (opened in 1928), the Hotel Central (opened in 1941), Banco Nacional Ultramarino, Tai Fung Bank, Wing Hang Bank, the Municipal Council Building (built in 1784, with its façade rebuilt in 1875 and renovated again in 1939), and the Post Office Building (completed in 1929). The buildings on both sides of the avenue west of the Municipal Council feature arcades that shelter the sidewalks, a traditional architectural style of southern cities, and have been designated as a protected architectural heritage area.

Location: Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Freguesia de São Lourenço, Macau

Getting there: Take bus routes 3, 4, 6, 8A, 18A, 19, 26A, 33, or N1A in Macau and get off at Rua Nova