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Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha

Chapel of Our Lady of Penha or Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha is a Catholic chapel at the top of Penha Hill, or Colina da Penha, in Macau. Due to its location, is one of the most visible landmarks in the Macau peninsula.

The Chapel of Our Lady of Penha was built in 1622 by the crew and passengers of a Portuguese ship that managed to out-run the Dutch. They are Augustinians, which is to say, followers of the Catholic monastic order after St. Augustine of Hippo. The chapel that they built became a shrine for those who were going to embark on sea voyages.

The chapel structure that we see today dates back to 1837 when the whole structure, along with the adjacent Bishop's Palace, was completely rebuilt. On the compound of the chapel is an statue of the Virgin Mary facing the direction of the city of Macau (or, some say, facing the direction of China).

Getting there

Take bus Nos. 9 or 16, which takes you to Rua da Penha, the hill road near the peak. Get down anywhere at the hill, and walk up to the chapel at the top.

Nearby Sight

Chapel of Our Lady of Penha Location Map



Photos of the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha


Chapel of Our Lady of Penha (10 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye


Inside the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha (10 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye


View from Penha Hill (10 November 2007)
© Timothy Tye


Statue of the Virgin Mary on Penha Hill
author: ripplezh | Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners



View of the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha from the base
author: 05P51 | Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners



Chapel of Our Lady of Penha and bell tower
author: jonaschen | Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners

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AsiaExplorers is researched and written by Timothy Tye. Reasonable care is taken to check and verify the accuracy of the content. AsiaExplorers disclaims responsibility for any inconvenience, mishap, injury or death resulting from following the tips and advice provided directly or indirectly by this website. All pages may be printed out for your own personal, non-commercial use. Photographs not credited to a third party belong to Timothy Tye and may not be reused in any form unless you are first given permission. Write in to inquire if interested. Third party photographs are governed by their respective licenses. The author is a Christian. Click here if you are interested to know more about his Christian beliefs. To contact AsiaExplorers, use the following email address: