Old Goa

OLD GOA
Old Goa is the part of Goa which almost every tourist ends up visiting. The  old  colonial capital is almost a ghost-town  now, but still standing tall and fairly  well-maintained are a large number  of huge churches, monasteries and  nunneries built during the heyday of  the Portuguese empire, when this was  a bustling place. Barely 10 km from the current capital, Old Goa is said to have once been a city of 2,00,000 from where the Portuguese traded across continents. With so much to explore, you could easily spend an entire afternoon or morning here.

Bom Jesus Basilica
Everyone is eager to see the remains (earlier considered to be the body) of the 16th-century Catholic missionary Saint of Basque origin,  Francis Xavier, placed here. It lies high in a silver casket, quite out of view except during the once-in-a-decade Exposition, held usually in years ending in 4. The last was in 2004. Bom Jesus, originally built in 1585, is noted for its brownish-red unplastered stone finish. It has an exhibition of modern art by the expatriate Goan artist Dom Martin on the first floor, and a religious sound- and-light show in another part of the complex. Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa Open: 6am to 6.30pm, entrance may be restricted during religious services 
 

Se Cathedral
Claimed to be the largest place of Christian worship in Asia, work on  building this cathedral began in 1562 and took decades to complete. Built in the Corinthian style of architecture it is believed to house the largest bell in Asia Se Cathedral, Old Goa 

ASI Museum and Portrait Gallery
Set up in 1964 and re-organized in 1981-82, it is housed in the convent portion of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Antiques are displayed in eight galleries including objects from pre-historic, early historic to the late medieval period. Particularly interesting are the portraits of governors and viceroys. Also see the wooden sculptures, pillars, capitals, postage stamps and many other objects from the Portuguese period in Goa. The collection includes a larger-than-life statue of Portugal's national poet Luis Vaz de Camoes; a bronze statue of Goa's first governor Albuquerque; hero stones; sati stones; Persian and Arabic inscriptions; portraits of Vasco da Gama, Dom Joa de Castro, and others; and arms such as rifles, swords and daggers. Archaeological Museum and Portrait Gallery, Old Goa
Open: 10am to 5pm (Closed Fri);

Viceroy's Arch
See Goa's equivalent of the Gateway of India, the impressive gateway through which Viceroys entered and took charge. It was built by the grandson of Vasco da Gama, who became the Viceroy of Goa at the end of the.
16th century;
On the road to Divar Ferry,
Old Goa

Santa Monica Convent
Seated atop the Holy Hill, this is one of Asia's largest training centres for Catholic nuns. One can see cells and some impressive but fading paintings on the walls inside the three-storey structure. It is believed to be the first nunnery in the East. It's quite possible you will run into a nun reluctant to give permission to wander around the convent.
Santa Monica Convent

Christian Art Museum
With its sculptures, statues and paintings,, this is Asia's first Museum of Christian Art which was initially located at the Seminary of Rachol, Salcete, where it was inaugurated in 1994. It has now been relocated to the Convent of Santa Monica.
Santa Monica Convent, Old Goa

Ruins of St. Augustine Tower
Near Santa Monica Convent and the Christian Art Museum, a striking structure is the half-collapsed tower of the Church of St. Augustine. Built in 1602, the church fell into neglect due to the Policies of the Portuguese government, and partly collapsed in 1842 and 1931. Opposite Santa Monica Convent,
old Goa

Our Lady of the Mount Church
A couple of kilometres off Old Goa, this church may be off the beaten track but is very scenic and well-maintained after it was restored recently. Our Lady of the Mount Church, Old Goa