Date with 20 cultural heritage sites at Cultural and Natural Heritage Day (19)

19. Historic Centre of Macao

The Macao Light Festival 2017, an annual event put on by the special administrative region's government, was unveiled at the Ruins of St. Paul's on Sunday night, followed by a string of events and festivals to attract tourists. The 17th century Portuguese Church of St. Paul is among Macao landmarks listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Photo: Xinhua/Zhang Jinjia)

The Historic Center of Macao includes the oldest Western architectural heritage on Chinese soil today.

Together with Macao’s traditional Chinese design, it stands witness to successful East-West cultural pluralism and architectural traditions.

The center is a solid testimony of the city’s missionary role in the Far East while also reflecting the dissemination of Chinese folk beliefs to the Western world.

It is the product of East-West cultural exchanges, forming the most unique blend of cultural heritage existing in China’s historic cities.

Macao was added to the list on July 15, 2005.