Lou Kau Mansion

Lou Kau Mansion is a Cantonese merchant's house at 7 Travessa da Sé on the Macau Peninsula, a short walk from Senado Square and part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Macau. Built in 1889 for the wealthy merchant Lou Wa Sio, known as Lou Kau, it is one of the best-preserved examples of traditional Lingnan residential architecture in the territory. The narrow street frontage hides a deep layout of rooms arranged along a central axis, with courtyards, light wells and an upper floor reached by a wooden staircase. Visitors see grey blue-brick walls, finely carved timber screens, decorative plasterwork, stained glass panels and a rooftop with views across neighbouring tiled roofs. The mansion shows how affluent Chinese families in Macau lived in the late 19th century, and the interior contains reconstructed furnishings along with exhibitions on its restoration and the history of the Lou family. A visit usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, which is enough for a slow circuit of the rooms and the courtyard. The best photographs are of the carved woodwork in the main hall, the blue-brick facade in the narrow lane and the light falling into the inner courtyards. The mansion is quiet compared with nearby tourist streets, and weekday mornings are the most peaceful, while weekends bring more tour groups passing from Senado Square. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00AM to 5:00PM and closed on Mondays, with free admission. Guided tours may be available at certain times through the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and an exhibition of Macau architecture is sometimes held inside. The building is only three minutes' walk from Senado Square along Rua da Sé, making it easy to combine with St. Dominic's Church, the Holy House of Mercy and the Ruins of St. Paul's.