Macao is located approximately 50 kilometers northwest of the city of Hong Kong and was placed under Chinese sovereignty in 1999. Due to its history, Macao is rich in attractions.
When the Portuguese landed in Macao in 1516, it was little more than a fishing village at the delta of the Pearl River. In 1557, the Chinese permitted the Portuguese to establish a settlement, though sovereignty remained with China, with only a local Portuguese administration set up. Since then, the Portuguese used Macao as a trading post and a stopover on the route from Lisbon to Nagasaki.
The landmark of the city of Macao is the Ruins of St. Paul's, part of the historical center of Macao. Today, only the old façade remains as a fire in 1835 destroyed the rest of the complex.
The ruins were eventually restored from 1990 to 1995. In the rear area, there is now a crypt containing relics of Japanese and Chinese martyrs, as well as a museum displaying paintings and sculptures from other churches and monasteries.
The main sources of income for Macao are tourism from mainland China, particularly related to gambling. Macao is often referred to as the Monte Carlo or Las Vegas of the East. Unlike neighboring Hong Kong, gambling is legal in Macao, attracting numerous visitors from there.
In 2005, the UNESCO inscribed the Historic Centre of Macao on the World Heritage List.
