St. Augustine's Church
聖奧斯定堂
A cream-coloured church beside Largo do Monte, nicknamed the Dragon Beard Temple after its early palm-leaf roof. It is part of the World Heritage site.
St. Augustine's Church was founded in 1591 by Spanish Augustinian friars. In the early days its roof was covered with palm leaves, which fluttered like dragon's beards when sea breezes blew, so the Chinese called it the Dragon Beard Temple. The present building dates from a 19th-century rebuild. Its cream-coloured façade stands in Largo do Monte alongside the Monte Theatre and the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, forming an elegant group of southern European-style buildings. Every year, the Good Jesus of Suffering procession starts from here on the first weekend of Lent, making it one of Macao's oldest religious processions. The church is free to visit and is generally open 10:00–18:00.
Opening hours
Approx. 10:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- St. Augustine's Square
- Sir Robert Ho Tung Library
- St. Joseph's Seminary and Church
- Leal Senado Building
- St. Lawrence's Church
- Holy House of Mercy
- Senado Square & Historic Centre of Macao
- Rua da Felicidade