Day 1... Old Goa
Goa is a very small state in southwest India. It is sandwiched between the Western Ghats (mountains) and the Arabian Sea. It is an area that brought trading wealth, new cultures, peoples and religions. Arabs, Romans and later, Europeans arrived bringing Judaism, Islam and various forms of Christianity. The local merchants' sources of wealth are pepper, cardamon, other spices, cashews and rice. Tea comes from the Nilgiri Hills and coffee from Karnataka's plantations. In Old Goa, Ponda, Margao and Panaji you can visit monuments, mansions, temples, forts and never-ending beaches.
Basilica of Bom Jesus (1594-1605) was built by the Jesuits. It is a World Heritage Monument. To the right is where they lived. St. Francis Xavier came to India with the Portuguese to spread Christianity in India.
Inside the church is St. Francis Xavier's elaborate mausoleum. It was given by the Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III. Inside the casket, a light shines on St. Francis' body (right behind the six glass windows). Every ten years, on December 2nd, his death anniversary, they bring him out for public viewing.
Alter in Basilica of Bom Jesus.It is known for its artistic woodwork in Baroque style.
SE Cathedral or, Cathedral of St. Catherine was built by the Dominicans, 1562-1619. Originally it was a small chapel but today it is the most imposing church in Old Goa and considered the largest in Asia. It is famous for its vaulted interior and Golden Bell.
Alter at Cathedral of St. Catherine.
It houses Goa's best museum with a collection of sculptures and portraits of Portuguese governors. This is probably a ship typical of those that landed at the nearby ports.
Church of St. Cajetan (1655-1700). Its dome was modeled on that of St. Peter's in Rome.
Alter - Church of St.Cajetan.
Chapel of Mt. Mary.
View from courtyard - Chapel of Mt. Mary with a view of Old Goa.
View of the valley and the Mandovi River. Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi to the left and Cathedral of St. Catherine to the right.
Church and Monastery of St. Augustine (1602) is made of pink laterite stone. This is the 152-foot-high church tower. It included eight chapels, 100 or so carved granite tombstones, and monastic buildings. Evidently there was a substantial community that once lived here.
The grounds and buildings of St. Augustine Church.
Aguada Fort - Goa's strongest fort, built in 1612 on the cliffs. It defends Aguada Bay and the mouth of the Mandovi River. Built using the latest Italian engineering theories of low, broad walls, wide moats and cylindrical turrets, it surrounded two villages and had 79 cannons. Aguada Fort provided water to the ships at anchor.
The lighthouse at Aguada Fort was built in 1846.
Alter - Church of St.Cajetan.All of the above churches are only a few blocks from each other!
Chapel of Mt. Mary.
View from courtyard - Chapel of Mt. Mary with a view of Old Goa.
View of the valley and the Mandovi River. Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi to the left and Cathedral of St. Catherine to the right.
Church and Monastery of St. Augustine (1602) is made of pink laterite stone. This is the 152-foot-high church tower. It included eight chapels, 100 or so carved granite tombstones, and monastic buildings. Evidently there was a substantial community that once lived here.
The grounds and buildings of St. Augustine Church.
Aguada Fort - Goa's strongest fort, built in 1612 on the cliffs. It defends Aguada Bay and the mouth of the Mandovi River. Built using the latest Italian engineering theories of low, broad walls, wide moats and cylindrical turrets, it surrounded two villages and had 79 cannons. Aguada Fort provided water to the ships at anchor.
The lighthouse at Aguada Fort was built in 1846. See Entry #30 for Day 2.
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