Antigo Mercado da Taipa

O antigo Mercado da Taipa situa-se no centro da Vila da Taipa e tem em seu redor várias construções de estilo português e chinês, assim como edifícios históricos de grande valor patrimonial, como a ex-sede da Câmara Municipal das Ilhas, a Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Carmo, a Biblioteca, as Casas-Museu da Taipa, o Templo de Tian Hau, o Templo de Sam Po, entre outros locais de interesse.

O antigo Mercado da Taipa, construído há 116 anos, é um edifício cuja arquitectura se baseia na combinação de dois estilos, o chinês e o português. A estrutura do antigo Mercado é semi-aberta, constituída por pilares cilíndricos de estilo português e telhado chinês, sendo um edifício invulgar e por isso com valor arquitectónico que interessa preservar.

This was the place of the first public market in Taipa Island, used probably since the 19th century. It is the only ancient Market that remained in Macao, which had mixed, characteristic, reflecting Portuguese and Chinese preferences for markets place.
Was used by the local population for the selling and buying of fish and agricultural product’s of the island. It is at the crossroad of two main tourist axes that are paths for walking tourists, visiting temples, shrines, the Firecrackers Factory (Yec Long), shops and restaurants, and the former headquarters of the Island Provisional Urban Council (maybe a future museum?).
These harmoniously clustered buildings are what create a pleasant historical and cultural ambience.
This portico structure was in the 1920’s the central place of Taipa Town and the symbolic gate to the maze of streets in the inner urban fabric. In the urban level, this building worked as covered “Entrance Portico”, an hall for Taipa Village. This entrance is through the Rua Direita, coming from the Rotunda of Ouvidor Arriaga. Also serve as an entrance from hill side where the Carmo Church is located.