St. Lawrence's Church

About this place

St. Lawrence's Church is one of the oldest churches in Macau, on Rua de São Lourenço opposite the Salesian Institute. It has a yellow classical front, two towers and a garden around its stairway, and it serves both as a place of worship for Macau's Catholics and as a popular stop on a tour of the southern old town. The Jesuits first built it before 1560, and it was rebuilt in 1846. The present building is neoclassical, in yellow with white ornament. The church has been part of the city's religious life since the early Portuguese presence, and it belongs today to the Catholic Church in Macau. From the street you see a broad stone stair between iron railings and palms, rising to a symmetrical front with two towers holding a clock and a bell, a triangular pediment topped by a cross and a monogram at the centre. Small gardens, a white cross and many flowers surround it, with old houses and church annexes under big trees on the far side. It is about 240 m in a straight line from the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library. This is a working place of worship, so dress modestly, enter quietly and do not walk around during mass. Ask before taking pictures inside. The ground around it slopes, so watch your step. The front looks best in the morning sun, well away from the crowds of the centre.