Taipa (original) (raw)

Taipa (Simplified: 氹仔島, Traditional: 凼仔岛; Pinyin: D�ngzǐ Dǎo, Jyutping: Tam5-zi2 Dou2, literally "Ditch") is an island of Macau in the People's Republic of China. It is 2.5 kilometres away from peninsular Macau and is west of the Lesser Hengqing Island (小横琴岛) of Zhuhai.

• Area: 6.33 km� (1.5 x 3.5 km)
• Population: 7,000

Taipai used to be known as Longhuan (龍環 "Dragon Ring"), Jijing (雞頸 "Chicken's neck"), Tanzi (潭仔 "Pool"), and Longtouhuan (龍頭環 "Dragon's-Head Ring"). Chinese settlers mostly arrived in Taipa in Southern Song Dynasty. The Portuguese came in 1851. Before land-fill, Taipa consisted of two islands: the Greater Taipa and the Lesser Taipa.

The 159.1-metre Big Taipa Hill (大氹山) situates to the east, and Small Taipa Hill (小氹山) to the east. Central Taipa is plain. It is connected to Coloane by the Estrada do Istmo (路氹公路 or 連貫公路), and to peninsular Macau by Nobre Governador Carvalho Bridge (嘉樂庇大橋 or 澳氹大橋, locally known as "Old Bridge") of 1974 and Friendship Bridge (中葡友誼大橋 Ponte de Amizade) of 1994.

Tourism

Religious:

• Pou Tai Un Temple (菩提園 or 菩提襌院): named after bodhi tree
• Small Kun Yam Temple (觀音岩)
• Tin Hau Temple (天後宮)
• Sam Po Temple (三婆廟): dedicated to the elder sister of Tin Hau
• Pak Tai Temple (北帝廟): dedicated to the Taoist God of the North
• Four-faced Buddha (四面佛): purchased from Thailand in 1985
• Church of Our Lady of Carmel (嘉謨聖母教堂): Catholic, Taipa belongs to the Nossa Senhora do Carmo Parish (聖嘉模堂區).

Other:

• Taipa House Museum (龍環葡韻住宅式博物館): Portuguese-styled houses
• Taipa Fortress (砲台)
• Macau International Airport
• University of Macau