Constructed in 1849, Government Headquarters was previously known as the “Palácio do Cercal” (Palace of Cercal) and formerly the residence of the Viscount of Cercal. The Portuguese government of Macao bought it at auction in 1881 and then used it as the governor’s office from 1884. On the 19th of December of 1999, the ceremony of the lowering of the Portuguese flag was performed here by the last Governor of Macao, Vasco Rocha Vieira, marking the beginning of the handover of the administration of Macao to China. Since the handover the building has been converted into the headquarters of the Macao SAR Government.
Architectural characteristics:
Government House is a two-storey pink building with wings on each side and a winding corridor on the upper floor. Government House is a model of typical Portuguese architecture, set far into a beautiful garden.