Sights in North Goa
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Aswem Beach
A wide stretch of quiet beach backed by a rather lacklustre village strip, the quiet Aswem sands are popular with long-staying foreigners and play host to an annually changing parade of beach-hut accommodation and beach-shack restaurants. Though some stretches of the beach are becoming distressingly grubby, development here is generally low-key, swimming is usually safe, the sands are quiet, and the vibe, very mellow.
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Chapel of St Sebastian
Aside from its general old-world charms, Fontainhas is notable for being home to the pretty Chapel of St Sebastian, built in 1818. This small whitewashed church at the end of a lovely lane contains one of only a few relics remaining as testament to the Goan Inquisition, which terrorised the state’s population for more than two centuries. A striking crucifix, which originally stood in the Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa. Christ’s unusual open eyes are said to have been conceived to strike fear into the hearts of ‘heretical’ suspects brought before the Inquisitors, and awaiting their usually grisly fate. Following the end of the Inquisition in Goa in 1814 – due to an A…
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Basilica 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 embarked on missionary voyages that 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. Construction began in 1594 and was completed in 1605. The focus of the church is the three-tiered marb…
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Archaeological Museum
Part of the Franciscan monastery at the back of the Church of St Francis of Assisi is now an Archaeological Museum, housing some lovely fragments of sculpture from Hindu temple sites in Goa, and some Sati stones, which once marked the spot where a Hindu widow committed suicide by flinging herself onto her husband’s funeral pyre. Also here you’ll find two large bronze statues: one of the Portuguese poet Luís Vaz de Camões, which once stood more prominently in the central grassy area of Old Goa, and one of Afonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese conqueror and first governor of Goa, which stood in the Azad Maidan in Panaji, before being moved here after Independence.
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Museum of Christian Art
Adjacent to the Convent of St Monica, this museum contains a collection of statues, paintings and sculptures, most of it transferred here from the Rachol Seminary. Interestingly, many of the works of Goan Christian art made during the Portuguese era, including some of those on display here, were produced by local Hindu artists; this might explain a tiger-skin-wrapped John the Baptist, fitted out in the style of Hindu god Shiva. Among the other items on show are richly embroidered priest vestments, a number of devotional paintings and carvings, a portable Mass kit for travelling priests, and a fair amount of silverware, including crucifixes, salvers and crowns.
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Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate
Panaji’s spiritual, as well as geographical, centre is its gleamingly picturesque main church, built in 1619 over an older, smaller 1540 chapel and stacked like a fancy white wedding cake to the southeast of the ragged municipal gardens. When Panaji was little more than a sleepy fishing village, this place was the first port of call for sailors from Lisbon, who would clamber up here to thank their lucky stars for a safe crossing, before continuing to Ela (Old Goa), the state’s capital until the 19th century, further east up the river.
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Goa State Museum
An eclectic collection of items awaits visitors to this large, though not bursting-at-the-seams, museum, in a strangely uncentral area southwest of the Kadamba bus stand. As well some beautiful Hindu and Jain sculptures and bronzes, there are a few nice examples of Portuguese-era furniture, some ancient coins and quirky antique lottery machines. The gruesome star exhibit for most, however, is the elaborately carved table and high-backed chairs used by the notoriously brutal Portuguese Inquisition in Goa during its reign of terror.
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Convent & Church of St Francis of Assisi
One of the most interesting buildings in Old Goa, the church 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 coats 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, which was later pulled down and the present building was constructed on the same spot in 1661.
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Sé de Santa Catarina
Construction of the Sé de Santa Catarina, the largest church in Old Goa, began in 1562 and though the building was completed by 1619, the altars were not finished until 1652.
The building's style is Portuguese-Gothic with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian interior. The remaining tower houses a famous bell, 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.
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Houses of Goa Museum
This interesting museum was created by well-known local architect Gerard de Cunha to illuminate the history of Goan homes, apparent statewide in various states of picturesque decrepitude. Marooned shiplike in the middle of a traffic island, the museum is hard to miss; to find it, turn right at the O’Coqueiro junction and then left at the fork, and you’ll find it just there. If you don’t have your own transport, a taxi here from Panaji should cost around Rs200.
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Professed House
The Professed House, next door to the basilica, is a two-storey laterite building covered with lime plaster. It was completed in 1585, despite much opposition to the Jesuits from the local Portuguese. There is a modern art gallery attached to the basilica; even if the art isn't to your taste it's worth popping your head in to look through a small window down on the tomb of St Francis Xavier.
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Secretariat Building
Dating from the 16th century, this handsome colonial-era building was originally the palace of Muslim ruler Adil Shah, before becoming the viceroy’s official residence in 1759. Nowadays it houses rather less exciting government offices, but remains worth a gaze as the oldest building in town. It is currently under renovation and will be for quite some time.
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Church & Convent of St Monica
This huge, three-storey laterite building was completed in 1627, only to burn down nine years later. Reconstruction started the following year, 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 the Mater Dei Institute as a nunnery. It was inaugurated in 1964.
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Church of St Augustine
The Church of St Augustine was constructed in 1602 by Augustinian friars and abandoned in 1835 due to the repressive policies of the Portuguese government, which resulted in the eviction of many religious orders from Goa. It quickly fell into neglect and all that really remains is the enormous 46m tower that served as a belfry and formed part of the façade.
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Church of St Cajetan
Modelled on the original design of St Peter's in Rome, the Church of St Cajetan 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 Hyderabad). The friars were not permitted to work in Golconda, so settled at Old Goa in 1640. The construction of the church began in 1655.
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Institute Menenez Braganza
Step into the west entrance of the town’s public library, to examine the grand and dramatic azulejos (traditional painted ceramic tiles) adorning the wall, which depict scenes from Os Lusiadas, a famously epic and glorious Portuguese poem that tells the tale of Portugal’s 15th- and 16th-century voyages of discovery.
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Public Observatory
For anyone interested in checking out the incredibly clear night skies over Goa, the local branch of the Association of Friends of Astronomy has a public observatory. The local enthusiasts are only too happy to welcome visitors and explain what you’re looking at. The view of Panaji by night is lovely, especially around dusk.
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Museum of Christian Art
Within the Convent of St Monica, the excellent Museum of Christian Art contains statuary, paintings and sculptures transferred here from the Rachol Seminary. Many of the works of Goan Christian art during the Portuguese era were produced by local Hindu artists.
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Central Library
At the northwest corner of the Azad Maidan, the Menezes Braganza Institute and the city’s Central Library, the oldest public library in India, occupy part of the old buildings that were once the Portuguese army headquarters.
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Wax World
If you’re a fan of kooky representations of obscure historical figures, look no further than this waxworks, which boasts of a host of ‘Life-Size Look-Alike Wax Statues’ including a full, waxen version of Michelangelo’s Last Supper.
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Panaji Central Library
On the west side of the Azad Maidan, the Institute Menezes Braganza houses Panaji Central Library and is worth popping into to see the pretty blue-and-white azulejos (glazed ceramic-tile compositions) in the entrance hall.
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Kristu Kala Mandir Art Gallery
This gallery sandwiched between the Church of St Francis of Assisi and Sé Cathedral is located in what used to be the archbishop’s house, and contains an only mildly diverting collection of modern Christian art.
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Church of Our Lady of the Mount
For a wonderful view of the city head to the hilltop Church of Our Lady of the Mount, 2km east of Se Cathedral.
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