Lighthouse and chapel at Guia Fortress, Macau (China)

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• published: 31 Dec 2014
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The Guia Fortress and chapel were constructed between 1622 and 1638, after an unsuccessful attempt by the Netherlands to capture colonial Portuguese Macau from Portugal. The lighthouse was constructed between 1864 and 1865, and was the first western style lighthouse in east Asia or on the China coast. The lighthouse stands at 91 metres tall (almost 300 feet as measured from water level), and has a light visible for over 30+ kilometres (20 miles) in clear weather conditions. The entire complex was built upon the highest point on Macau, Guia Hill, and named after the same location. The chapel was built around 1622 inside the Guia Fortress. Unfortunately the transfer of sovereignty of Macau (a former Portuguese colony) and Hong Kong (a former British colony), to the People's Republic of China (PRC), took place in the late 1990s. Both were some of the world's most prosperous countries but are now considered Special Administrative Districts of the PRC. Since both Macau and Hong Kong will maintain a high degree of autonomy, for about 50 years beyond their loss of sovereignty, they're still considered separate countries by most measures (and me). Here's my personal webpage about Macau and China: http://www.rogerwendell.com/china.html Here's my maritime page featuring lighthouses: http://www.rogerwendell.com/maritime.html 12-05-2014