For years, the most famous landmark of Macau was the Baroque facade of the former Church of St. Paul (Sao Paulo in Portuguese). Many people make a pilgrimage to these ruins, one of the most revered Christian monuments in Asia. This church was constructed under the supervision of Carlo Spinola, a Jesuit from Italy. It basically replaced the Church of the Mater Dei, which was built in 1593 but was destroyed by fires in 1593 and 1602. The construction of St. Paul was completed from 1602 to 1627 by Christians exiled from Japan, along with the assistance of Chinese craftsmen. The Jesuits were booted out in 1762, and later the complex spent time as a military station. A catastrophic fire in 1835 consumed the site except for the facade and the monumental stairs.