MCM College: Camões House Cultural Excursion to the White Dove’s Nest of Camões Garden
Colégio MCM: A excursão cultural ao Ninho da Pomba Branca do Jardim de Camões
More than 30 members of Camões House set off early Saturday morning on a cultural excursion to the White Dove’s Nest of Camões Garden. The event was hosted by Resident Tutor, Stephanie Ramos, and accompanied by House Master Dr. Manuel Noronha.
The famous landmark, which was previously part of a mansion owned by wealthy Portuguese merchant, D. Manuel Boaventura Lourenço Pereira. The property was later passed on to son-in-law, Lourenço Caetano Marques, who was fond of keeping pigeons. It was said that many pigeons were often seen perched on the ledges and eaves of the park villa which resembled an enormous pigeon’s nest from afar. Therefore, the iconic park from then on was commonly known in Chinese as “White Pigeon Nest Garden”. Marques highly admired Portuguese poet Luís de Camões (1524-1580), who is said to have completed a part of his epic poem “Os Lusíadas” in a grotto of the park villa back then. Marques had a bronze bust erected in honour of Camões, and placed in a grotto built with three huge rocks in 1866. Inscribed on the front of the stone pedestal of the bust, are the first three stanzas of the first canto of “Os Lusíadas”, while the Chinese translation was inscribed on the back.
In 1885, the government acquired the property and opened it to the public.
“When I heard of the white pigeon nest park, I thought it was just a park, I did not realize that it was such an historical and unique place. There are many old people walking around and dancing in the park. This world heritage building is the first villa style garden residence in Macau – the white pink mixed building, coupled with dark green doors and windows is very special and amazing.
Text: Lídia
No dia 28 de setembro, do 2024, mais do que de 30 membros da Casa Camões, do Colégio MCM, acompanhados pelo Mestre da Casa, Dr. Manuel Noronha, e pela Auxiliar Residente, Stephanie Ramos, partiram no sábado de manhã cedo numa excursão cultural ao Ninho da Pomba Branca do Jardim Camões.
O famoso jardim, que historicamente fazia parte duma casarão que pertencia a um rico comerciante português, D. Manuel Boaventura Lourenço Pereira. Mais tarde, a propriedade foi passada em nome do seu genro, o sr. Lourenço Caetano Marques, que gostava muito de criar pombos aí. Também, dizia-se que haviam sempre muitos pombos vistos pousados nos parapeitos e beirais da moradia que, ao longe, se assemelhava a um enorme ninho de pombos. Por isso, o emblemático parque passou a ser conhecido em chinês como “Jardim do Ninho de Pombos Brancos”. Marques era um grande admirador do poeta português Luís de Camões (1524-1580), que terá completado uma parte do seu poema épico “Os Lusíadas” numa gruta do parque. Marques mandou erigir um busto de bronze em honra de Camões, que foi colocado numa gruta construída com três enormes rochas em 1866. Na parte da frente do pedestal de pedra do busto, estão inscritas as três primeiras estrofes do primeiro canto de “Os Lusíadas”, enquanto a tradução chinesa foi inscrita no verso.
Em 1885, o governo adquiriu a propriedade e abriu-a ao público.