Luis de Camoes Garden

Praca Luis de Camoes
Macau, Macau

Neighborhood: Macau Peninsula

Luis de Camoes Garden is one of the largest parks in Macau.

In the early 18th century, there was a piece of undeveloped land occupied by the Chairman of the British East India Company.

After the British moved out in 1835, it was bought over by a Portuguese merchant, who later built his resident house there.

The merchant adored raising doves and his hundreds of doves always hovered near the garden, forming a marvelous scene famous near and far.

After the death of the merchant, the garden was donated to the government and later opened to public as a memorial garden dedicated to Louis de Camoes, a famous Portuguese poet who lived four hundred years ago.

Hence the name Luis de Camoes Garden.

Cameos Grotto is the most famous scenic spot in this garden. After riling the court officials, Luis de Camoes was exiled to Macau and lived in this cave where later he finished the national epic Os Lusiadas.

Portugal's greatest poet, Luis de Camoes composed his national epic "Os Lusiadas" to chronicle the great Portuguese explorations that created the world's first globe-girdling empire.

In 1849, a bust of Luis de Camoes was installed in this grotto by the Portuguese merchant. Behind the grotto, paths lead up to a wooded hill and a belvedere where stone tables and seats were installed for people to have a rest.

A bronze bust of Luis de Camoes called the Camoes Grotto stands in natural rocky alcove in the wooded garden.

At the far end of the garden is a fountain that contains a bronze sculpture entitled "Embrace", specially made to symbolize the centuries' old friendship between Portugal and China.

The garden is a great place for a battery-recharging stroll.

These pleasant gardens come alive in the morning. Slow, silent t'ai chi groups rub shoulders with lively aerobics classes powered by a tape machine.

Chinese of all ages jog, stretch and gossip their way into the day.

Later, in a corner of the park songbirds are shown off by newspaper-reading owners, straining to make sure their bird is warbling the loudest. Nearby old men play Chinese checkers and smoke in the sun.

Engravings from 1810 to 1825 - Camoens Cave, at Macao