Senate Square, Largo do Senado, a colorful typical Iberian town square, and the traditional heart of Macau city. It is surrounded by pastel-coloured neo-classical buildings, most of them having an administrative function during the Portuguese era. The place is a popular venue for public events and crowds gather here just to soak in the atmosphere and socialise. The white building is the Holy House of Mercy (Santa Casa da Misericordia). This building, established by the first Bishop of Macau in 1569, provides an imposing facade for the Senate Square. The building houses a charitable organisation which looked after the medical, social and welfare needs of the citizens of Macau, and was the home of many orphans and prostitutes. Today, it houses a two-room museum with displays of items related to the organisation.
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