Praia Five Houses

In the mid 19^th century, Taipa had a constant grow in population. In 1896 the islands had 12.802 register land and sea (fisherman) inhabitants. After 1910, the number of public buildings grows fast in Taipa and Coloane Islands.

In the 1920's the Public Works department built five houses for government officers in the Avenida da Praia in Taipa, now adapted to function as museum furnished with memories.

Some residents remember with nostalgia the ringing of bells from the Our Lady of Carmo Church, built in 1885 in Hilltop at the foot of the Avenida de Praia.

They bringing back memories from the time when was a free show to wash a squadron of Macau sea planes, taking of and landing in the calms waters of this sea bay, now transformed in a large pound looking apprehensively toward Disney inspired designed buildings projected from the entertainment industry.

Barra, is the Portuguese name given to the place were the river met with the sea, or the Inner Harbor. Before the arrival of the Portuguese, in 1557, fisherman from the Chinese province of Fukien used this area.

Most of the dwellings were made of timber, a provisional material since many of them live inside the fishing boats.