Escola do Reino de Haudere Ruins

Not much is known about the once-grand abandoned building that used to house the Escola do Reino de Haudere (Portuguese for “School of the Kingdom of Haudere”), other than it was built by the Portuguese and bears witness to Timor-Leste’s colonial past.

The building was one of seven schools built in the late 1920s and early 1930s in what was then the Portuguese colony of Timor, now Timor-Leste (East Timor). While others have been restored and preserved, the Escola do Reino de Haudere was severely damaged during World War II, and fell into disuse after the war. Abandoned for decades, what is left of the ruin is now overgrown with vegetation.

This large and enigmatic ruin now greets travelers heading to Baguia, a remote village on the eastern slope of Matebian, the second-tallest mountain in the country. The abandoned school stands on the side of the road that leads to the village, backdropped by dramatic mountains vistas.