The term "senate" was used, in the past, as an alternative designation of the municipal government bodies of some main cities of Portugal and of the Portuguese Empire, otherwise known as "câmaras" (chambers, also translated as "municipal councils"). In 1832, the designation of all municipal councils was standardized as "câmara municipal" (municipal chamber). A notable exception was the Municipal Council of Macau, which was able to maintain its traditional title "Leal Senado" (Loyal Senate), bestowed to it in 1810, until the handover of Macau to Chinese administration in 1999.