In this tour of Old Goa, you will get to experience the the grandeur of Velha Goa, which was one of the leading cities of the world between the 16th and 18th centuries. We will recount the meteoric rise of Old Goa in the 16th century, by exploring the Viceroy’s Arch built by great grandson of Vasco Da Gama, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, St Catherin’s Chapel, The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Se Cathedral, St Augustine’s tower and Rosary Church.
The walk commences at 8am at The Viceroy’s Arch erected in 1599 by Viceroy Francisco da Gama was once the main street for entering Old Goa. It was built as a memorial to the achievements of Vasco da Gama, the famous explorer. Incidentally Franciso was the great grand son of Vasco de Gama!
The Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the next destination. It is one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in India. Basilica of Bom Jesus is a landmark in the history of Christianity. It holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier who along with St. Ignatius Loyola has founded the Society of Jesus.
Next we will visit St Catherine Chapel a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built by Alfanso De Albuquerque in 1510 when he defeated the local Muslim ruler Adil Shah on St. Catherine’s Day that is 25th November 1510. The Chapel has rectangular window panes of the Old Portuguese style dressed in mica shells.
We walk to Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Eight Portuguese Franciscan friars landed in Goa in 1517 and established the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Tuscan order has been applied for the exteriors, while the main altar has been built in rich Baroque style with Corinthian features.
Built in Manueline style, Se Cathedral was built to showcase the Portuguese’s victory over an invading Muslim army in the early 16th century. The day of that victory is celebrated as the Feast of Saint Catherine.
St Augustine’s tower was built in 1600. It is one of the four towers of St. Augustine Church that once stood at the site.
The oldest surving church in Goa is Rosary Church and thats our final destination. Its striking features are high altitude windows and round towers which makes it look like a fortress.
