Ruins of the Church of St Augustine, Goa

Date: 30th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  None. Best is between sunrise and sunset.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snack available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Gateway of Adil Shah Palace, Church of St. Cajetan, Viceroy's Arch, St. Francis of Assisi Church and few more.

The church was built by Augustine Friars in 1602. The Augustine friars of the order of St. Augustine reached Goa in 1587.  The church was considered one of the three greatest Augustinian church of the Iberian kingdom. The church built on Monte Santo, Holly hill is now in ruins and only 46m tall tower is left out. The four storey tower once served as belfry formed part of the facade. The Church had eight chapels, four altars and a convent. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Grace. The complex and other churches in old Goa are part of UNESCO world heritage site.

The complex was abandoned in 1835. Its believed that the deadly epidemics that hit old Goa led the friars to abandon the church. Its also said the Portuguese government evicted many religious orders. The complex went into decay due to lack of maintenance, the main vault collapsed in 1842 and part of facade in 1931. The church bell was first moved to Aguada fort and then to Immaculate conception church in Panjim.

Few pics from the complex.

Though in ruins the remaining tower and the complex can help tourist visualize how once the largest building in Goa stood.

Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa

Date: 30th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Sunday 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snack available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Gateway of Adil Shah Palace, Church of St. Cajetan, Viceroy's Arch, St. Francis of Assisi Church and few more.

The UNESCO world heritage site, Basilica of Bom Jesus located in old Goa is constructed between 1594 and 1605. The mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, Apostle of the Indies is kept in the Basilica. The body was sent to Portuguese Malacca and sent to Goa two years later. The remains of the saint is kept for public viewing once every ten years. The only church in goa without a lime plaster on the outside. The carvings on the outer wall keeps eroding every passing year.

The facade of the building is the combination of three classic order of architecture, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The intricately carved central rectangular structure below the pediment has the letters IHS embellished. The main altar is dedicated to St Ignatius Loyola the founder of Society of Jesus. Above the statue, IHS abbbreviation for ‘Iesus Hominum Salvator’ (Jesus, Saviour of Men) is emblazoned in an gilded sun. Above the emblem is the representation of Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Spirit. The remains of St. Francis is on the right of the altar. It also has the painting of life of St. Francis. The basilica draws huge crowd on Dec 3, Feast day of St. Francis Xavier every year.

The professed house of Jesuits, the members of the society of Jesus is next to the Basilica. The two storey lime plastered building is built in 1585 before the Basilica was built. The Jesuits mission to east started from here. There is also a modern art gallery attached to the Basilica.

A prominent tourist attraction and an important religious place is a top place to see in old Goa. 

Se Cathedral, Goa

Date: 30th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  7:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Tourist not allowed during Mass.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snack available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Gateway of Adil Shah Palace, Church of St. Cajetan, Viceroy's Arch, Basilica of Bom Jesus and few more.

A small chapel was built by King Manuel I after the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510. The chapel was dedicated to St Catherine as the day of victory fell on her feast day. It was later enlarged and became a cathedral and consecrated in 1640. The cathedral has five bells of which the one referred to as golden bell is housed in the one tower standing. The second tower on the other side fell during a lighting strike in 1776 and was never rebuilt. The cathedral is also the seat of Archdiocese of Goa. The convent nearby is now a museum and the palace of Archbishop behind the cathedral is no more used.

Mass was in progress when we reached the church and were not allowed inside. We could only get a glimpse of the interiors. The main altar dedicated to St. Catherine. There are four chapels on either side of the nave. Chapel on the left are dedicated to Our Lady of Virtues, St. Sebastian, the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady of Life. Four chapels dedicated to St. Anthony, St. Bernard, the Cross of Miracles and the Holy Ghost are on the right.

Few pics from the cathedral.

The cathedral part of the UNESCO world heritage sites is a must see place in Goa.

The Church of St. Cajetan, Goa

Date: 30th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snack available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Gateway of Adil Shah Palace, Se Cathedral, Viceroy's Arch, Basilica of Bom Jesus and few more.

Built in 1661 by Italian friars of the Theatine order is the Church of St. Cajetan. It is also called as the church of divine providence. St. Cajetan is one of the founding members of the theatine order. The friars were sent to India by Pope Urban VIII to preach Christianity. Their original destination was golconda kingdom but were denied permission to work. They reached Goa in October 1640. Here they begun constructing a hospital but again was banned by the Portuguese Viceroy and sent out of Goa. D. Pedro Avitabili, one of the three friars went to Portugal and explained the king Dom Joao IV that his work is in the interest of Christianity. Impressed, the King gave permission to continue their work in Goa. Upon completion of the hospital they also obtained permission to construct a church and a convent.

The church is believed to be modeled on the original design of Basilica of St Peters in Rome. The church is of Corinthian style, developed as third order of Greek Roman architecture. The grand facade has two towers at the ends that serve as belfry. The main structure of the church forms a Greek cross, arms with equal length, one of the many variants of the Christian cross. There are seven altars inside the church with the main one dedicated to our Lady of Providence. The wooden altars are intricately carved and gilded in Baroque style, an highly ornate and extravagant style of architecture. The niches has wooden statues of saints. Underneath the cupola there is a well covered with slab which makes some believe it to be site of a Hindu temple. The altars also have Italian paintings on canvas some depicting life of St. Cajetan.

Few pictures from the Church.

Another fine church in the world heritage complex in Old Goa that can be visited.

Viceroy's Arch, Goa

Date: 30th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  None.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snack available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Gateway of Adil Shah Palace, Se Cathedral, Church ofSt Cajetan, Basilica of Bom Jesus and few more.

The Arch made of laterite stone was originally built in 1599 by Fransisco Da Gama, grandson of Vasco Da Gama. The arch also marks the Portuguese conquest of the city. The statue of Vasco Da Gama  is carved on the side facing the Mandovi river. On the other side is the statue of women standing on a man with her sword pointing at him. The arch was built many times over and it was renovated last in 1954 after it collapsed. Each incoming viceroy used to pass through the arch and take charge in office. One of the plaque records the restoration of the arch by Fransisco Gama and another records the liberation of Portugal from Spain.

Few pics of the Viceroy's arch.

Another piece of architecture with historical significance to see in Goa.

Adil Shah Palace Gateway, Goa

Date: 30th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  None.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Available.

Food: Small snack available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Viceroy's Arch, Se Cathedral, Church ofSt Cajetan, Basilica of Bom Jesus and few more.

Gateway to the palace of Adil Shah is the only remaining structure of the royal palace of Yusuf Adil Shah, the founder of Adil Shah kingdom. Shah had built the place while he was ruling over the present day Goa from Bijapur. The palace and other parts of goa was captured by Portuguese and the palace was used as guest house of the viceroys. The palace was demolished in 1820. The gate has a lintel and intricately carved basalt pillars.

Few pics of the gate.

One of the historical landmark in Goa that can be seen on the way to St Cajetan Chruch.

Sunset Point, Amboli

Date: 25th Dec 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Timing:  None.

Distance: 600 Kms one way.

Parking: Roadside.

Food: None nearby.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Mahadevgad point.

We saw the sunset point board near the Amboli waterfalls on our way to the MTDC resort. After visiting Hiranyakeshi temple we decided to go to sunset point. On the way to the point we saw another spot near the resort where we could get a good view of the sunset. We went back and parked the car in hotel and reached the sunset point by walk.

Few pics of sunset in Amboli.

Before the sunset point we visited the Shirgaonkar point, it was the view of the forest from the top. Parikshit point was closed. We saw there was very less water in Amboli waterfall so we skipped nangarta waterfalls as well. On the way back to room we visited Datta mandir.