Exotic Places to visit in Old Goa…

HospiBuz Desk

Welcome to Party Capital of the Country! Goa is considered as the party capital of India and it is damn famous for its glorious beaches, happening night clubs and many more. But the coin has two sides; same applies to this party state of India. Goa also has another phase, the ancient one which is completely different from the other one. Old Goa consists of ancient churches and such majestic forts which attracts the hundreds of visitors from all over the world, every year. Old Goa is the perfect place where you can find damn amazing and ancient churches, which has a very deep history. So, here is the list of such places of Old Goa, where travelers and tourists love to visit and explore them  

1. BASILICA OF BOM JESUS

The Basilica of Bom Jesus was built in the 16th century and it is the Goa’s most frequently visited tourist destination. The Basilica of Bom Jesus was labelled as the World Heritage Monument. It also showcases some unique and amazing Corinthian and Doric works, sure to intrigue any architecture enthusiast or history enthusiast. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is consist of very large black granite walls, basalt pillar and a sloping, tiled roof and some Latin and Portuguese inscriptions are carved into the pillars and walls of the church. This Basilica of Bom Jesus is a remnant from Goa’s very rich cultural and historical past. It is also said that the body of St. Francis Xavier is buried in one of the chapels here. But now, this church lies in ruins and stands as an example of exemplary and flawless architecture.

2. TOMB OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

The Tomb of St. Francis Xavier is lies within the Basilica of Bom Jesus. St. Francis Xavier was the revered Portuguese evangelist. During his stay in Goa, St. Francis Xavier has been said to have nursed the sick, opened up many churches and also converted thousands of people into their religion, Christianity. He later travelled to the Far East where he continued his evangelical and missionary duties. He died on a tiny island in the country of China and his body was brought back to Goa. The Tomb of St. Francis Xavier, which was only completed 140 years after his death, was carved by the very famous Italian sculptor called Giovanni Batista Foggini. The tomb was made up of Jasper and Marble and it has three layers: the base, mausoleum and casket. The tomb is complete with his delicate silver statues, bronze plates and large paintings which depict the scenes from his entire life. The remains of the saint are unearthed and publically displayed once in every ten years.

3. SE CATHEDRAL

Se Cathedral is one of the largest churches in the Asian continent, which is still operational. Se Cathedral has flaunting Iberian architecture and was built in the 16th century. This church is Old Goa’s most richly decorated buildings. It is consist of high ceilings, intricate mosaic work and wooden carvings. This church is purely dedicated to St. Catherine, which was built to commemorate the victory of Afonso Albuquerque and belongs to the Archbishop of Goa. Gilded altars, innumerable chapels, rich paintings and statues can be seen inside the church. This church is laid out in the standard cruciform shape and above it altar, there are gilded panels depicting scenes from St. Catherine’s life.

4. WAX WORLD MUSEUM

Wax World Museum of Goa is one of India’s few and the large wax museums. It is a place which has an extensive collection of 30 life-size paraffin sculptures. The statues here include the famous India personalities like the father of Nation Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Mother Teresa. The Wax World Museum’s most famous attraction is the sculpting of Jesus Christ’s “Last Supper”, which is a truly wondrous piece of artwork. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum premises unless visitors make a camera pass.

5. RUINS OF ST. AUGUSTINE

The St. Augustine Tower is one of the most spectacular historical sites in Old Goa. It was formerly a 46 meter high belfry. It is associated with the famed Nossa Senhora de Graca Chuch which was built by the Augustinian Friars in the early 17th century. The church rests on the top of the Monte Santo Hill in Velha, the primary site for the Augustinian order. This church includes eight richly high decorated chapels, innumerable altars and a few chambers which all designed by an Italian architect. The St. Augustine Church was said to be one of the three most renowned examples of Iberian architecture in the whole world.

6. CHURCH OF ST. CAJETAN

The church of St. Cajetan is the state’s most beautiful and best preserved historical site. This church is purely dedicated to St. Cajetan, who was the contemporary of St. Francis Xavier. The church of St. Cajetan always displays the gorgeous Corinthian style of architecture and it is the pure evocative of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The walls of the church of St. Cajetan are decorated with vibrant paintings, which depict the life of St. Cajetan. This church was built by the Italian monks of The Theatines in the year of 1665.

7. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Archaeological Museum of Goa was established in the year 1964, which contains the artefacts from the pre-historic, early historic and late medieval periods. You can see wooden sculptures, innumerable portraits, ornate pillars, collection of postal stamps and many other objects from the Portuguese time period in this museum. The most famous attractions in this museum include the Ivory sculpture showing Christ’s crucification, the John the Baptist and a bronze statue of Goa’s first governor, Albuquerque.