| Se
Cathdral
The largest of the
churches in Old Goa, Se Cathedral was begun in 1562 during thereign
of King Dom Sebastiao (1557-58). It was completed by 1619,
though the altars were not finished until 1652. The cathedral
was built for the Dominicans and paid for by the sale of crown
property.
The building style
is Portuguese-Gothic with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian
interior. The remaining tower houses a famous bell, one of the
largest in Goa, often called the Golden Bell because of its rich
sound. The main altar is dedicated to St Catherine of
Alexandria, and paintings on either side of it depict scenes from
her life and martyrdom.
Convent &
Church of St Francis of Assisi
This is one of the
most interesting buildings in Old Goa. The interior contains
gilded and carved woodwork, a stunning reredos (ornamented screen
behind the altar), old murals depicting scenes from the life of St
Francis, and a floor made of carved gravestones - complete with
family coasts of arms dating back to the early 16th century.
The church was built by eight Franciscan friars who arrived here in
1517 and constructed a small chapel consisting of three altars and a
choir. This was later pulled down and the present building was
built on the same spot in 1661.
A convent behind
this church is now the archaeological museum (open from 10am to 5pm
Saturday to Thursday, Rs. 5). It houses portraits of the
Portuguese viceroys, most of them inexpertly restored; sculpture
fragments from Hindu temple sites; and stone Vetal images from the
animist cult that flourished in this part of India centuries ago.
Basillica of Bom
Jesus
The Basilica of Bom
Jesus is famous throughout the Roman Catholic world. It
contains the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier who, in
1541, was given the task of spreading Christianity among the
subjects of the Portuguese colonies in the east.
A former pupil of
St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order, St Francis
Xavier's missionary voyages became legendary and, considering the
state of transport at the time, were nothing short of miraculous.
Apart from the
richly gilded altars, the interior of the church is remarkable for
its simplicity. This is the only church that is not plastered
on the outside (although it was originally). Construction
began in 1594 and it was completed in 1605. the focus of the
church is the three-tired marble tomb, of St. Francis, which took 10
years to build and was completed in 1698. The remains of the
body are housed in a silver casket, which at one time was covered in
jewels. On the walls surrounding it are murals depicting
scenes from the saint's journey and one of his death on Sancian
Island.
The Professed
House, next door to the basilica, is a two-story laterite building
covered with lime plaster. It was completed in 1585, despite
much opposition to the Jesuits. Part of the building burned
down in 1633 and was partially rebuilt in 1783. There is a
modern art gallery attached to the basilica.
Church of St
Cajetan
Modeled on the
original design of St Peter's in Rome, this church was built by
Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, who were sent by Pope
Urban III to preach Christianity in the kingdom of Golconda (near
Hydrabad). The friars were not permitted to work in Golconda,
so settled at Old Goa in 1640. The construction of the church
began in 1655. Historically, it's of much less interest than
the other churches.
Church &
convent of St Monica
This huge three-storey
laterite building was completed in 1627, only to burn down nine
years later, and it's from this time that the buildings date.
Once known as the Royal Monastery, due to the royal patronage that
it enjoyed, the building is now used by Mater Dei Institute as a
nmnnery and it was inaugurated in 1964.
Other Buildings
Other monuments of
minor interest in Old Goa are the Vicroy's Arch, Gate of Adil Shah's
palace, Chapel of St Anthony, Chapel of St Catherine and the Church
of Our Lady of the Rosary.
|
