Friday, March 28, 2008

Lilau Square 亞婆井前地 (亚婆井前地)

situated in the old “Christian quarter” where the Portuguese first settled in Macau, Largo do Lilau is surrounded by Portuguese style buildings and is therefore an area representing Macau’s unique urban style and features. The Square was one of the first settlements for the Portuguese.

"Lilau" means "mountain spring", the buildings in this area are built in the Chinese-Portuguese style, with some typical Mediterranean influence and some Art Deco influences. A fountain was added in the renovation in 1994, to symbolise an unfailing supply of spring water that nurtured the people there.

The Portuguese popular phrase: “One who drinks from Lilau never forgets Macau”, expresses the locals’ nostalgic attachment to Lilau Square.

亞婆井前地是位於澳門西望洋山北面的一個廣場。 傳說明朝一位婆婆在此地筑水池貯山泉方便居民汲取飲用, 故人稱呼水池為「亞婆井」。亞婆井的葡文意思是山泉, 由此可知, 此地昔日為澳門水池之一。

澳門昔日的葡萄牙人有民謠說:「渴過亞婆井水,忘不掉澳門;要麼在澳門成家,要麼遠別重來。」 可見亞婆井對本地葡人具有重要的意義。 為保存此區的文化特色, 澳葡政府亦進行了一系列重修工程使得各建筑物與景觀得以保存下來。

由於亞婆井前地及周圍古舊建筑, 故2005年開始便隨澳門歷史城區之一部份而被列入世界文化遺產名錄內。

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