Fortaleza do Monte is located immediately to the east of the so-called Ruins of St Paul's. The fortress was part of the Jesuit complex of St Paul. The fortress was only used once, in 1622, to repel Dutch invasion. It fell into disuse and disrepair when the Jesuits left.
The ramparts of Fortaleza do Monte were made from a mixture of earth, shell, straw and lime. These were packed in layers between strips of wood. From the fortress, you get a very good panoramic view of Macau peninsula. Cannons are still there, positioned as they were, south towards the sea. Today however, they seem to be aimed squarely at the skyscrapers of Macau's central business district.
The locals come to Fortaleza for jogging and also to walk their dogs. At night, the fortress is lit up with bright spotlights, so you can still visit it after dark. From it, you can enjoy great view of Macau at night.
Location within Fortaleza do Monte is the Macau Museum, one of the best museums in the colony.
Getting there
From Largo do Senado, walk towards St Dominic's Church. Turn left and follow signboards pointing towards the Ruins of St Paul. Having reach it, you will find Fortaleza do Monte on a hillock to its right side, with the Macau Museum location within.
Another view of the cannons (9 November 2007)
Fortaleza do Monte at night (8 November 2007)
Cannon of Fortaleza do Monte at night (8 November 2007)
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Disclaimer
Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.
Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.