Walking through Goa’s Ancient Alley, one church after another, each nestled in a secluded corner yet exuding an architectural style that immediately caught my attention. Inevitably, I turned my attention to their history. Goa was not always a Portuguese colony. The Muslim sultanate of Bijapur established Goa as a port on the Mandovi River in the 15th century. In 1510, Alfonso de Albuquerque seized control of the city, and Goa was the capital of Portuguese India until the early 20th century.
During the first two centuries of Portuguese rule, most Goa churches and monasteries were demolished. Each of these monuments in Goa is a unique representation of evangelism and historical events. Due to these numerous Catholic church complexes, the city was formerly known as “Oriental Rome”. Goa’s religious monuments went on to inspire the development of Western art schools such as Baroque, Manuel and Mannerism throughout Asia. The Rosary Manuel Church is the oldest church in the state, built in the mid-1500s.
The interior decoration of the altar, altarpiece, paintings and furniture represents the labor of local artists, but the architectural form follows European classics. These architectural forms can be noticed in Goa’s sacred sites, most of which are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Goa was occupied by the Indian Republic in 1961, ending nearly 451 years of Portuguese rule. But the Portuguese legacy lives on! I discovered something through its amazing cathedral, and you can also discover by visiting one or all of them. The churches I saw in Goa, which I recommend, are included in this list.
St Michael’s Church, Assago
While in Anjuna, I came across this historic Roman Catholic church in Asagao while driving nearby.One of the oldest churches in Goa, St Michael’s Church Anjuna, still standing. In the early colonial Portuguese India, it was built in 1613 to serve Goan Catholics. This baroque chapel is located on Anjuna Beach Road near Chapora Junction and is surrounded by tall coconut palms. Lighting fixtures that look like those found in classic European street lamps adorn the black metal doors guarding the entrance. As you walk through the gates of St. Michael’s Church in Assago, you’ll first notice the admirable Baroque architecture that ruled Italy in the 1600s.
The 13 arched carvings on the outside, 5 on the first floor, 5 on the second floor, and 3 on the top, symbolize the Counter-Reformation and celebrate the values of the Catholic Church. New light and shadow exploration and dramatic intensity mark it. St. Michael’s Church combines the Roman lexicon of Renaissance architecture in a new rhetorical way, depicting the victory of the Catholic Church over an autocratic state. The plan for the church building was based on the Italian model of the cathedral, with crossed domes and nave, but the architectural treatment was very different.
The composition of columns and pilasters, central volumes, overhangs and focal decorations add to the complexity of the structure. While there is a playful element to the tradition of classic design, the church retains a degree of rigidity.
Our Lady of Chinwala Chapel
In Chinwar, about three minutes from its mother church, the Church of the Archangel Michael in Anjuna, the Gothic-style Church of Our Lady of the Piet. It is a short drive from Indumati’s business location. On the first floor, the church has four blue spherical cathedral doors, while on the second floor it has three high arched windows. The small arched window on the right is part of the tower attached to the main building. The roof of the Chapel of Our Lady is flanked by basilica hoops and has a pyramid-shaped central roof section.
Built in the Neo-Gothic or Revival Gothic style, the church exudes a unique architectural style that is easily recognizable by others. Vertically rising sculpted columns symbolize radical ideas and traditional sensibilities, demonstrating precision in design. Surrounded by tall coconut trees, this gorgeous chapel is in desperate need of a renovation, and a new coat of paint may give it a new lease of life.
Panjim Church
One of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen Panjim It is Panjim Church, or Church of the Immaculate Conception, at the crossroads of the main street. The church is on a hill and you can see the square below. Garcia da Orta is visible to the southeast from the top of the cliff. A laterite stone walkway with a zig-zag staircase leads to the church, surrounded by rows of tall palm trees. These stairs were added to the church in the 18th century. In 1541, a chapel was built at Panaji to meet the religious requirements of Portuguese sailors’ first port of call in India to colonize Portugal. The community was a humble fishing village at the time.
In 1600, the chapel was replaced by the present church, serving residents and sailors. In 1871, Goa’s second cathedral bell was led to the church bell tower. It was salvaged from the Augustinian monastery on the Holy Mountain after the monastery was demolished. The exterior of the church is painted white in honor of the Virgin Mary and is decorated with Portuguese Baroque architectural elements. The great bell of the Augustinian monastery is located in the bell tower at the top of the façade. The entrance is flanked by two towers, with a taller bell tower in the middle. Known as Panjim’s “crown”, it can be seen from a distance. The church also has a nave and a transept. The interior is simple but colorful.
The Virgin Mary is honored at the solemn main altar. Two smaller, intricately carved gilded altars flank the main altar. The crucifixion of Jesus is on the left, while Our Lady of the Rosary is depicted on the right, with marble St Peter and Paul bordered on either side. On special occasions, blue and white flowers are placed on the wooden structure of the vaulted ceiling above the altar to represent the exterior color scheme of the church. In the south transept, to the right of the main altar, the statue of St. Francis Xavier is housed in a glass case.
Church of the Mother of God
Located along NH 66, about 13.3 kilometers from Panaji, the Mae De Deus Church is a chiseled, forbidding sight. It looks like a storybook castle, with Gothic spires and immaculate white walls. While driving from Panjim to Cansaulim, I stopped briefly at the Mae De Deus Church, otherwise easily accessible by taxi or auto rickshaw. Located in Bardez taluka, this church in Saligao was built in 1873 in a magnificent setting in the traditional Goan countryside. It is one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the world and is brightly lit at night.
The church is an outstanding example of Neo-Gothic architecture and currently houses the magical image of Mae de Deus (Mother of God), which was restored from the remains of the Mae de Deus Monastery in Old Goa. Its spires, each topped with a cross, are one of its most distinctive features. The church also commemorates the feast of Our Lady, the Mother of God, on the first Sunday in May. A spectacular parade was held on the occasion, followed by a fireworks display. Another statue of the goddess is in the church yard, made of black stone. Before this church was built, Surrigao Catholics were members of Holy Trinity Parish Church in the nearby settlement of Nagoa.
Stones from three sites are said to have been used in the construction, from their two sacred institutions. The black stone comes from the remains of the monastery of Mae de Deus in Dougim, and the second material comes from the Chapel of Our Lady of Victory. A massive buttress supports the walls of the church, and its gate is almost a full storey high with a domed design. The Madonna is located in a niche on the façade above the entrance.From Monday to Sunday, the church is open from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Three Kings Church
Near Velsao and Arrosim in the heart of South Goa’s Cansaulim district is the Church of the Three Kings and a 12 km drive from Vasco do Gama. The King’s Chapel in Goa has long been considered one of the most haunted places in Goa and India, but I’m not sure if it is. According to local mythology, the church is haunted by the ghost of the monarch. Regardless of the horrific stories associated with it, this chapel on a hilltop near Kansorim offers a beautiful picture of South Goa, with stunning buildings and coconut palms lining the streets below. The cathedral is not only fascinating for its ghost stories, but also for its rich flora.
Legend has it that the church was owned by three monarchs who fought and ultimately killed each other for power and supremacy. It is said that the spirit of the king still patrols the ground, calmly defending the realm. Several visitors to the church reported strange spooky experiences, but the view from the vantage point was fantastic. People walking late at night describe a great sense of presence. The phantoms have never hurt anyone, although many claim to have felt them. If you’re curious, be there before 6pm as guests are not allowed into the church grounds after nightfall.
If you like what you see, save these churches for your future trips to Goa and visit them and marvel at their architecture, history and peaceful atmosphere.
