World Heritage Series – Old Goa

Código del Artículo: NAC013

por S. Rajagopalan

Paperback (Edición: 2004)

Archaeological Survey of India
ISBN 8187780207

Tamaño: 9.4 Inch X 4.8 Inch
Páginas: 96 (Illustrated Throughout In Color)
Weight of the Book: 170 gms

Precio: Euro 11.43

Descripción

From the Jacket

This is part of a series of guidebooks published by the Archaeological Survey of India to showcase World Heritage Sites in India. A UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, Old Goa or Velha Goa, is famed for its churches and convents.

Although Christianity came to India with the arrival of St. Thomas in the first century AD, it was the Portuguese who firmly implanted the faith in this land in the sixteenth century after the conquest of Goa in 1510; the Portuguese began studding the land with churches and convents. The architects responsible for building these monuments were inspired by the architectural styles then prevalent in Europe.

The magnificent monuments in Goa served an additional evangelical purpose by inspiring awe and reverence in the new converts.

Among the most significant churches in Old Coo is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which houses the mausoleum of Goa’s patron saint, Francis Xavier. The largest church in Goa, the impressive Se Cathedral is architecturally Portuguese-Gothic in style, the exterior being Tuscan and the interior Corinthian.

Old Goa is today a quiet and charming place, far from the madding crowd of the capital at Panaji. Its incredible cultural heritage adds to its popularity as a tourist destination.

Old Goa

This guide to Old Goa is an account on the architectural masterpieces in the form of cathedrals, churches, chapels and convents for which Old Goa (Velha Goa) is famous. These were built between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries AD in laterite and lime-plaster. Among these the most fascinating ones are Se Cathedral, Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Church of St. Cajetan, Chapel of St. Catherine, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Church of St. Augustine.

Basilica of Bom Jesus, enshrining the mortal remains of St. Xavier, is an imposing edifice with Ionic, Doric and Corinthian pilastered façade. The Church of St. Cajetan is also another impressive building modeled on St. Peter’s Church in Rome. Also notable is SC Cathedral, which is an example of Renaissance architecture with Corinthian columns at its portals, Tuscan exterior and the barrel vault above the nave. The paintings in the churches were done on wooden borders and fixed between the panels having floral designs as in the chapels housing the tomb of St. Xavier, the arches above the altars in the transept of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Apart from a few statues in stone, there are some carved delicately in wood, depicting the saints, Mother Mary and Jesus on the Cross, painted to adorn the altars.

Venture beyond the palm-fringed beaches of Goa and discover the most enduring landmarks of this heritage, viz., the churches and convents of Old Goa.

General Information

Old Goa, also known as Velha Goa (Lat. 15° 33’ North; Long. 73° 15’), lies 10 km to the east of Panaji, the capital of the state of Goa. Apart from its world- famous beaches, Old Goa has a magnificent group of churches dating from the sixteenth century onwards. The architectural styles then prevalent in Europe, be it the Classical, the Baroque or the Manuline, are reflected in the construction of these churches.

The Church of St. Augustine with its Corinthian columns and colossal bell tower, the Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi with its ornamented entrance, trefoil arch and rib-vaulted nave reminiscent of the Gothic style, the Basilica of Bom Jesus with its façade decorated with Ionic, Doric and Corinthian pilasters and the Se Cathedral with its Tuscan exterior and the Corinthian columns at its portals are a few of the stately monuments of Old Goa.

The monuments of Old Goa are open to public between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on all days including public, state and national holidays. The Archaeological Museum is open between 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on all days, excluding Fridays. There is no entry fee for the monuments, but those above 15 years of age are charged Rs 5 to enter the Museum. The ASI Director General’s permission is required for taking photographs of the museum artefacts. However, still photography, without the use of tripod, is allowed in the monuments.

The nearest international airport is located at Dabolim, 32 km from Panaji. Most domestic airlines operate direct flights from Goa to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. Private chartered airlines from international destinations also land here. The nearest railhead at Vasco da Gama, 35 km from Panaji, has daily trains to and from Delhi and Mumbai. Konkan Railway has a station at Karmali, close to Panaji.

Old Goa is connected by excellent bus services to Panaji, which lies on the National Highway (NH 4A) leading to Ponda and onwards to Belgaum and Hubli. Long-distance and local buses leave from the Kadamba Bus Terminal in Panaji for Mumbai, Bangalore, Hampi and other destinations. There is the Tourist Hotel run by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation in Old Goa. However, Panaji offers a large variety of hotels to choose from.

Contents

	General Information	6
	Introduction	8
	Short History	8
	Recent Explorations	15
	Art and Architecture	16
	Paintings	22
	Sculpture	23
	Monuments	24
	Se Cathedral	26
	Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi	34
	Chapel of St. Caherine	40
	Professed House and the Basilica of Bom Jesus	42
	Church of St. Cajetan	52
	Gate of the palace of ‘Adil Shah’	56
	Viceroy’s Arch	56
	Gate of the College of St. Paul	58
	Church of Our Lady of the Rosary	59
	Tower of the Church of St. Augustine	62
	Chapel of St. Francis Xavier	72
	Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount	72
	Church and Convent of St. Monica	73
	Church of the Carmelites	74
	Convent and the Church of St. John of God	74
	Royal Chapel of St. Anthony	74
	Convent and Church of the Cross of Miracles	75
	The Pillory	75
	The Archaeological Museum	76
	Appendix: St Francis Xavier	88
	Glossary	95
	Select Bibliography	96