Avenida da Praia Grande and Macao SAR Government Headquarters

Avenida da Praia Grande is about 1130 metres long. Its original name was Rua Nam Van (Nam Van Street), which was recorded in the “Cadastre of Public Roads of Macao” in 1869, and was changed into the current name in 1995. The location of Avenida da Praia Grande was originally the ancient shoreline in the south of the Macao Peninsula, and the present view was resulted from land reclamation. The tax stations of the Qing Dynasty, the office building of the Portuguese administration of Macao, Macao Governor’s Palace, courts, forts and a number of eminent figures’ residences, all of which had shown up in the street one after another, constituted the political, economic and military centre of Macao which was also a focused area for the interaction between the Chinese and foreigners. It was said that Lin Zexu had passed by this road when visiting Macao.

Located in Avenida da Praia Grande, the Macao SAR Government Headquarters comprises four buildings, i.e. the Protocol Palace, the front block and the rear block of the Government Headquarters Administrative Building, the Government Headquarters Auxiliary Bureau Building, and a garden. The Headquarters occupies around 7700 square metres, and demonstrates the Southern European style. It was also known as other names such as “Macao Governor’s Palace”, “Nam Van Palace”, “Nam Van Residence” and “Palace of Cercal”.

Before the handover, inside the buildings, there were the Green Hall where the Governor worked, the Yellow Hall (also known as Portrait Hall) where the former governors’ portraits were hanged, the Blue Hall where the Governor dined, the meeting room and conference halls, etc. The Legislative Assembly and the Consultation Committee under the Governor also worked there. After the handover, a large-scale renovation took place in the buildings in 2000, in which house the Chief Executive’s Office, Executive Meeting Room, Multi-purpose Room, Lotus Room and Media Interview Room, as well as the Green Hall, Yellow Hall and Blue Hall, which are used for guest receptions, meetings and banquets.