The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) said yesterday that it will restore and revitalise a mansion complex located in an alley near the S. Domingos wet market in the city centre, known as Chio Family Mansion.
However, the bureau did not mention when the revitalisation project is scheduled to be completed.
IC President Leong Wai Man made the remarks during a press conference after chairing a closed-door regular meeting of the government-appointed Cultural Heritage Council at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape.
The council is chaired by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U, but yesterday’s meeting was chaired by Leong, who is the council’s vice-chairwoman, as Ao Ieong did not attend yesterday’s meeting.
8 million patacas
A part of the Chio Family Mansion complex was initially privately owned, before the Cultural Affairs Bureau bought the property for eight million patacas in 2021. Consequently, the government currently owns the whole complex, which enables the bureau to carry out its restoration and revitalisation.
The government’s upcoming revitalisation of Chio Family Mansion was one of the topics covered by yesterday’s meeting.
The government is currently proposing to list six more properties in the city as officially-protected cultural heritage sites, including the Chio Family Mansion.
The six proposed properties are among the fourth batch of the bureau’s cultural heritage evaluations of immovable properties, since the Cultural Heritage Protection Law came into force in March 2014.
The cultural heritage evaluations of the six proposed properties, which started early this year, are required to be completed by early next year, when the government will decide whether they will be officially classified as cultural heritage sites.
The Chio Family Mansion is located on Travessa da Porta, one of the several alleys situated next to Rua dos Mercadores.
During yesterday’s press conference, Leong noted that Chio Family Mansion comprises two parts, namely No. 24 and No. 26 Travessa da Porta. While No. 26 is owned by the government, No. 24 had initially been privately owned, before the government bought it for eight million patacas in 2021.
Leong noted that the government currently owns the whole Chio Family Mansion complex, which now enables her bureau to fully use and manage the complex.
Preparations
Leong said that after her bureau took over the complex’s management, it has been carrying out various preparation work such as debris removal, works on temporarily supporting the complex’s structure, architectural surveying and mapping, 3D scanning, aerial photography, and historical research.
Leong said that after completing the various preparation work, the bureau can start the Chio Family Mansion complex’s restoration and revitalisation.
Leong also underlined that the Cultural Heritage Council members agreed with her bureau’s restoration and revitalisation plan for the complex.
Historical details in Chinese about Chio Family Mansion can be checked at: https://www.culturalheritage.mo/files/culturalheritage/1678843372485.pdf
This photo taken yesterday shows the exterior of Chio Family Mansion on Travessa da Porta, an alley next to Rua dos Mercadores. – Photo: Tony Wong
This aerial photo released by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) earlier this year shows the roof of Chio Family Mansion.
