Ruins of Saint Paul's

The Ruins of Saint Paul's are the remnants of a 17th-century Catholic religious complex in Macau, including St. Paul's College and the Church of St. Paul. Today, the stone frontispiece stands on a small hill with 68 stone steps leading up to it. A museum is located behind the façade.

Don't miss

• The stone frontispiece, shaped like a retable and themed around the Assumption of Mary
• Carvings showing Mary stepping on a seven-headed hydra, described in Chinese characters as 'Holy Mother tramples the heads of the dragon'
• Six Chinese guardian lions carved from stone at the base of the structure
• The museum behind the façade, which displays bones of persecuted Japanese Christians
• The crypt and foundations uncovered during excavations from 1990 to 1995

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Ruins of Saint Paul's

Getting there

Know before you go

• 68 stone steps lead up to the façade.
• A museum is located behind the façade, housing religious artifacts and relics.
• Tourists are no longer allowed to climb the façade due to preservation concerns.

A bit of history

Built from 1602 to 1640 by the Jesuits, the church was one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia at the time. It was destroyed by a fire during a typhoon on 26 January 1835. The façade was likely influenced by Japanese Christian craftsmen who worked on it, and includes carvings with Asian traditions, such as Mary stepping on a seven-headed hydra and six Chinese guardian lions at the base. The remains of around 250 Korean and Japanese slaves from the Portuguese slave trade are buried near the church.