Temple A-Ma

The A-Ma Temple is located in the southern part of the Macau Peninsula. It is the most famous and oldest temple in the city. It was built in 1488 during the Ming Dynasty. The temple is dedicated to the Chinese goddess A-Ma, with whom many legends and even the origin of the name of the Macau Peninsula are associated. Visiting the temple is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the richness and uniqueness of Chinese culture.

The temple is dedicated to the Taoist goddess A-Ma and the Buddhist goddess of mercy Kun Lam. It is a complex of small outbuildings and altars dedicated directly to the goddess, as well as several small independent temples dedicated to the goddess of Mercy, the goddess of Welfare and the Heavenly Emperor. The entire temple complex is made in traditional Chinese architectural style with bright walls, many colored decorative elements and famous roofs that are uprooted by eaves. On the roofs of the main temples you can see small decorative turrets.

In the temple to this day are held services A-Ma, which is considered the patroness of sailors. According to legend, a poor girl A-Ma from Fujian province long persuaded local fishermen to transport her by boat from Canton to Macau. No one agreed except one fisherman who took her with him. And at night there was a terrible storm, in which all the boats sank, except the one in which there was A-Ma. The inhabitants of the city realized that this is a difficult girl and the sea gods themselves patronize her. A-Ma climbed Bara Hill and the sea was quiet. The astonished inhabitants built a temple at the foot of the hill in honor of the goddess and each time before going to sea asked for her blessing.