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Macau’s Magnificent Mount Fortress
The Mount Fortress is an engrossing historical site providing panoramic views of the area. It also houses a museum dedicated to the development of Macau. Macau, a ’special administrative region’ of
the People’s Republic of China,
is a thriving city with a high degree of autonomy in many key areas. Its highly
successful economy is based principally on electronics, textiles and toys as
well as a flourishing tourism industry. These lucrative industries have made Macau one of the wealthiest cities on the globe. Macau has experienced an
eventful history, with its first main chapter being the establishment of a
Portuguese trading settlement in the 16th century. Notably in 1576
Pope Gregory XIII created the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau. The city
officially became a Portuguese colony in 1887. However riots in 1966 inspired
by the Cultural Revolution in mainland China and general unhappiness over
Portuguese rule signaled waning Portuguese influence. China took formal control of Macau
in 1999. Mount Fortress is one of Macau’s
prime tourist attractions. Originally constructed by the Jesuits, it formed
part of a compound that included St.
Paul’s Church and College. It was built during the era
of the Portuguese/ Dutch clashes for dominance in the South
China Sea. The fort was constructed with the intention of
protecting the area from aggression. However the massive cannons at the fort
were only fired once, when the Dutch mounted an invasion of Macau
in 1622. In later years the fortress became the
first residence of the Macau governors. In
subsequent decades trees emerged from the platform of the fort, and the site
was converted into a public park which has become very popular due to the
panoramic views offered. Mount Fortress now also contains a museum. The Macau Museum
in the fort complex emphasizes Macau’s
eventful history, from early inhabitants to the development of the Chinese and
Portuguese civilizations and their subsequent amalgamation. Also on display are
artifacts documenting the development of urbanization in Macau. The Venetian Macau Resort Hotel is one of
the finest luxury hotel Macau has to offer. This magnificent Macau
resort provides an exclusive combination of exceptional attractions Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORPushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry. |
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