Land Reclamation in Macao during Late Mid-19th Century

In the late mid-19th century, the Macao Portuguese government had initiated a series of undertakings to cope with urban development, namely improvement of ports and harbor, straightening of the coastline, infill and land reclamation. Many new roads were built after the completion of the different projects.

In 1864, the Overseas Public Work Department of the Navy Ministry of Portugal had laid down the preliminary draft for “Improvement of Ports” of Macao. By 1869, the Public Works Bureau of the city took over its execution and began to infill the silted shores lying all the way from the waterfront of A-Má Temple to the Lotus causeway (today’s Ferreira do Amaral Isthmus) and improved the ports. In 1872, it infilled the silted shores along the waters nearby Rua da Alfândega, Rua das Lorchas and Rua da Felicidade. In 1877, the silted shore along the waterfront of Rua de Cinco de Outubro was reclaimed into land. On 2 April 1888, it began to work on the Northern Bay of Interior Harbor. The silted shores in the Patane area were reclaimed for construction of embankment, Rua da Ribeira do Patane and Avenida do Almirante Lacerda. In 1890, by way of a decree, the Macao Portuguese government constructed a causeway in between Macao Peninsula and the Green Island to connect the two, removed the waste materials deposited along the seafront and took care of the silted Interior Harbor.