São Francisco Garden, Macau

Compare Hotel Room Rates from different Booking Sites

The São Francisco Garden is said to be the oldest public garden in Macau. It was established as far back as 1580. At that time, Castilian friars had founded a convent at that site, which was then just a short distance to the sea. Avenida da Praia Grande, which is right next to the garden, actually means the "avenue of the big bay", denoting the bay that reached all the way there.

The Castilian (that is to say, Spanish) friars were replaced by Portuguese friars five years after the establishment of the convent. Nonetheless, the name of the garden among the Chinese remains as Ka-Si-Lan Fa-Yun.

Land reclamation in the 1920's extended the seafront outwards, establishing new roads such as Avenida do Infante Dom Henrique on the newly filled land. Another road, Rua de Santa Clara was created, cutting through the garden. The grounds was also used for military barracks and officers club. There is also a circular tower that was built to honor Portuguese war heroes of the First World War (1914-1918).