Mandarin's House, 19th century residential palace in São Lourenço, Macau.
Mandarin's House is a 19th century residential palace in Macau containing more than 60 rooms spread across two levels. The buildings are organized around several courtyards and display traditional Chinese domestic architecture alongside period furnishings and decorative elements.
The building was constructed in 1869 and served as home to Qing scholar Zheng Guanying, who wrote influential reform texts within its walls. The house preserved traces of its original purpose over more than a century.
The residence displays a blend of Cantonese and Portuguese building styles visible in its rooms and architectural details. This mixing of design approaches reflects how people from different backgrounds shared life in colonial Macau.
Visitors can explore the estate through guided tours that lead through various courtyards, halls, and residential spaces. All rooms are accessible for viewing and show how inhabitants lived in the residence.
During the 1990s the residence housed over 300 tenants before the government purchased it in 2001 and returned it to its original state. This transformation from overcrowded housing back to a single manor demonstrates a remarkable restoration effort.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
