Dom Pedro V Theatre

About this place

Dom Pedro V Theatre is a historic building on St. Augustine's Square in Macau and one of the first Western-style theatres in East Asia. Its pale green front and white columns make it among the finest buildings of the Historic Centre, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2005, and it still hosts important public events. Local Portuguese built it in 1860 to commemorate their king, Peter V, and it was a regular meeting place for the Portuguese and Macanese people of the city. Its present front was added in 1873, it sheltered refugees in the Second World War, and it hosted the Asian premiere of Madama Butterfly. Typhoon Hato damaged the portico ceiling in 2017. The building is neoclassical, with a front portico on a rectangular plan, 41.5 m long and 22 m wide. You see three arches between paired columns under a triangular pediment, and a white ornamental wall along the sloping street. Beyond the theatre itself are a ballroom, a study room and a billiard room, and some rooms now hold assorted displays. It stands steps from St. Augustine's Square and the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, so it fits easily into a walk. The inside is not always open, as events may be running, so ask at the door. Take care on the paved slope, which can be slippery after rain. The front looks best by day, and from below it rises above its white wall.