Complete detailed information of Senado Square

Largo do Senado, commonly known as the "Fountain", is a square in Macau. It is located in the central area of ??the Macau Peninsula and covers an area of ??3,700 square meters. It is one of the four major squares in Macau. In 2005, it was included in the World Cultural Heritage List as part of the Historic Center of Macau. The area in front of the Senado Pavilion is connected to the area in front of Banzhang Hall to the north and Xinma Road to the south. It is wide in the south and narrow in the north, forming a long and narrow triangle. It is a lively commercial and cultural activity area. Basic introduction Chinese name: Senado Square Opening hours: Open all day Ticket price: Free Recommended play time: Recommended 1-3 hours Country: China City: Macau Suitable travel season: Suitable all year round Must read before traveling, scenic spots Dynamics, introduction to scenic spots, key information, beautiful pictures of scenic spots, introduction, historical evolution, Mesquite, archway, fountain, celestial globe, activities, banknote themes, famous store numbers, store changes, traffic information, introduction Senado Square is located Opposite the Civil Affairs Bureau headquarters, the entire square is paved with gravel in a wavy shape. The nearby roads have been designated as pedestrian areas, and there are benches around it, so people like to gather here to rest and relax. In the center of the square stands a fountain, which is the symbol of the place. The buildings in the square have been rebuilt or renovated, including the Tourism Department, the Post Office and the Hall of Mercy. Among them, the Hall of Mercy is the oldest charity institution in Asia. Every time there are festivals and large-scale events, such as the Lunar New Year, international art festivals, etc., relevant organizations will come here to enjoy a trip during the National Day Golden Week, outdoor - the most beautiful cycling scenery, a complete guide to theme parks, focus on well-known domestic companies, and hold performances for the public to watch. Historical evolution: On the left side of the current Senado Square is the Long Kee Restaurant. It was named because it was located in front of the Macau Assembly (now the Civil Affairs Bureau Building), a deliberation body for Chinese officials and even the Portuguese since the Ming Dynasty. Senado Square is located in the central area of ??Macau. The Governor of Macau has always held a ceremony here to review the navy and army stationed in Macau. In 1940, a bronze statue of Meschi, a Portuguese officer who attacked the Qianshan fort and killed the Qing Dynasty soldiers, was erected. During the Cultural Revolution, it was pulled down by the Chinese people, and a fountain was rebuilt on the site to this day, hence the common name. Senado Square The buildings in the area around Senado Square are full of European characteristics, and many of them have been rated as monuments and buildings of architectural value. For buildings listed as protected cultural relics, the facade is not allowed to be modified, only the interior structure can be modified. In the early 1990s, Macao and Portugal paid more money to hire Portuguese technicians to pave the front ground and the connecting streets with black and white Portuguese stones, turning it into a pedestrian-only area with a Portuguese urban style. Now it is not only a must-see for tourists, but also a tourist attraction. In addition, Senado Square is still a popular place for community activities in Macau. In the 1950s and 1960s, Hong Kong Cantonese movies were filmed here. Before the opening of Meerska in 1940, the front area was very empty because there were very few people and vehicles. Only a small garden garden was set up near the buildings on both sides, and several rows of wooden benches were placed for visitors to rest. In 1940, near the new road and the municipal government There is a trapezoidal lawn in the middle of the Department Building (the former name of the Civil Affairs Bureau Building) with several large trees planted on it (the narrow side is toward the front), and a concrete round stone pillar is set up in the middle. On top of it is a Portuguese officer, a mezquita (wearing a military uniform and drawing a sword). ) bronze statue, with dozens of parking spaces on both sides near the post office and opposite it. The bronze statue was pulled down by Chinese people during the "December 3 Incident" in December 1966. Archway From the 1950s to the mid-1970s, pro-Beijing groups in Macau erected a wooden red archway on Senado Square every October (or in nearby areas such as the former site of Star Bookstore and next to the post office), opposite the City Hall Building. , it was dismantled after the celebration, confirming the political opposition in Macau at that time. The archway is usually three stories high, almost the same height as nearby buildings. It is decorated in the style of Tiananmen. It has the words "Macao compatriots celebrating the National Day" on it, the political slogans of the time on the floor, and large paintings on it. The theme is different every year. It is lit up at night or Firecrackers are set off to celebrate. After the bronze statue of Meersch was pulled down in the fountain, the original site was transformed into a pool of the same shape. There is a small trapezoidal protrusion on it, with round water nozzles laid on it, and dozens of lights of different colors under the water. The fountain is used during the holidays. The main water column is in the middle, with small circular water jets on the periphery radiating intermittently towards the center, and two levels of colored lights shining alternately. For the residents of Macao who lived a simple life in the 1970s, families would walk in the fountain and children would play and wipe the floor in their free time or during holidays. Gunfire has become a leisurely activity.

In the late 1980s, several large plant concrete pavilions were set up in the front area, with tropical plants planted inside. There were horizontal chairs on the four sides to separate the front and rear of the fountain. Because at that time, only a small area around the fountain was prohibited from driving, from the fountain to the entrance of the General Post Office. You still need to cross the road. Until the 1990s, this area was still one of the approved parking areas for rickshaws; in mid-1993, the site underwent a six-month redevelopment. Celestial Globe The current location of the fountain is further away from the City Hall building than in the past, and closer to the Hall of Mercy building. There are several concentric stone steps in the depression of the circular ground, and an upright celestial sphere is placed in the center of the fountain (there is also a celestial sphere on the Portuguese national emblem, which represents the symbol of the Portuguese maritime expedition, and some books mistakenly write it as a globe), with the ecliptic equator marked on it. The copper ring, while the Equinox is facing the City Hall building. There are dozens of white light bulbs placed at the bottom of the fountain, which are lit up at night and perform water spraying upwards with different lights. Moreover, since the entire front ground was changed from ordinary cement to paved with wavy Portuguese stone, except for special vehicles (IACM work vehicles), the entire front ground is not allowed to drive, and only planters and resting areas are set up next to the General Post Office. The steps are for visitors to enjoy the shade and wooden chairs are set up on the opposite side. At the same time, because they are paved with Portuguese stones, they are integrated with the banzhang hall and the meadow. Activities If Macao groups need to use the former venue to hold activities, they must submit an application to the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (before the handover, it was the Macao City Hall). On some large-scale festivals, the IAD places special plants such as lotus (Lotus Fragrance Full of the City) and red flowers (Christmas) around the steps of the fountain as decorations. During the half-month period between Christmas and the Lunar New Year, the IACM The department will also place a large Christmas tree and zodiac lights in the front area for decoration. During art exhibitions, the celestial globe was placed underneath and its platform was used to place art exhibits. Since the fountain was reduced in size and moved back, a larger space was vacated in front of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. Therefore, larger-scale cultural evening parties or concerts and other entertainment programs are often held here with temporary stages and lighting. The Lunar New Year dragon dance activities at the Chinese Commercial Building in Senado Square, the New Year's Eve countdown (from the 1990s to 2004) or some larger group activities (such as Preservation Day), and the first Macau Food Festival in 2000 are also held here. Usually, a large stage is set up in the open space next to the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, while the open space behind the Hall of Mercy is used for exhibitions or small booth activities. A few days before the Lunar New Year every year, Macau’s small flower market and photography exhibition are mostly held in front of the Hall of Mercy. Since the former site is part of the "Historic Center of Macao" that is included in the "World Cultural Heritage" list, in order to protect the site and other nearby buildings that are also included in the list (such as the Hall of Mercy Building and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Building), The number of large-scale gatherings and activities approved by the Civil Affairs Bureau for groups to be held at the foreground has also been reduced. Banknote Theme: The obverse of the 2005 Macau Pataca one-hundred-dollar banknote is taken from Senado Square. The famous store is located in the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau building. Next door is the Ping An Cinema and General Post Office Hall of Mercy building, which closed in the 1990s. Next door is the convenience pharmacy Sindburg (a shopping mall that once housed a Foxwoods fast food restaurant and a record and video equipment store, now a Watsons store). ) Leith Building (formerly the location of the Popular Newspaper Office, the Macau Electricity Company Office and the Tourism Bureau Headquarters, now the Macau Business Tourism Service Center) Lung Kee Restaurant, Dacheng Bookstore (it has been operating here since the 1960s, and only the former continues to operate) ) Yishun Shuangpi Nai Ruichang Bank Office (the original site was sold in the mid-1990s and has now become a restaurant and fitness company) The original site of the Macau Chamber of Commerce (the current site of the initial meeting of the Macau Chinese General Chamber of Commerce), the underground shop is a Western clothing store, Stationery printing company and construction company; after the original site was sold, it used to be the branch of the closed China Culture and Education Co., Ltd. and the office address of the Identification Bureau; it is now the Zhonghua Commercial Building, where there is Chua Lam Food Court and a cosmetic chain store) Store changes due to 2002 Macau has opened up its gambling rights, vigorously promoted tourism and opened up free travel in mainland China. Cosmetic chain stores, well-known fast food chains and restaurants, coffee shops (such as Starbucks), mobile phone stores and fashion stores have opened nearby.

Even though the former area has received a large number of tourists and beautiful scenes of singing and dancing, residents in the past have opened photo studios on both sides (such as the Songlin Photography Studio between Lung Kee Restaurant and Yishun Shuangpi Nai), tea restaurants, porridge and noodle shops and old restaurants. The office (Tongshun Office) and the long-established barber salon (Shanghai Barber Salon) were forced to move out or even disappear due to the decline of the industry or the rapid increase in store rents. Also disappearing were the ones hanging in the building opposite the General Post Office. Neon signboards for well-known beverages (large advertisements concentrated opposite the General Post Office such as Vitasoy, Green Orange Juice, Coca-Cola, etc.) are also a profile of Macau's urban changes and the collective memory of Macau people. Transportation Information Bus 1. Take bus 2, 3, 3A, 3X, 5, 7, 10, 10A, 11, 18, 21A, 26A, 33 to Xinma Road/Yingying Street (westbound). 2. Take bus No. 3, 4, 6, 8A, 18A, 19, 26A, or 33 to Xinma Road (eastbound). 3. Take bus 2, 3A, 5, 7, 10, 10A, 11, 21A to Jinbi Civic Center (eastbound).