PLACES OF WORSHIP
1. Sé Cathedral
The magnificent Sé Cathedral has a Tuscan-style façade, flanked by a bell tower. The tower houses the Golden Bell, which rang out during the Inquisition’s dreaded auto da fé trials, held in the front square. The pièce de résistance of the Corinthian interior is the altar, dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria.
Gilded high altar at Sé Cathedral
2. Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
This church is Panaji’s most distinctive landmark. The whitewashed Baroque façade of the present church and its twin towers were constructed in 1619. The central pediment and belfry were built later to accommodate the huge bell brought from Old Goa. The chapel in the south transept is dedicated to St Francis Xavier.
3. Church of St Cajetan
In the 17th century, Pope Urban III sent Italian priests from the Theatine Order to Golconda. They were refused entry there so they settled in Old Goa. In 1651, they erected a church dedicated to their founder, St Cajetan, modelled on St Peter’s in Rome. The dome and Baroque interior are in the form of a Greek cross.
4. Church and Monastery of St Augustine
Once the largest church in India, with a five-storeyed façade, St Augustine’s now lies in ruins. The church was abandoned in 1835, and excavations in 1989 revealed eight chapels and four altars. It is believed that in the 17th century there were also grand staircases, and a library that rivalled the one in Oxford. Today, all that remains is its bell tower.
5. Maruti Temple
Nanu Tarkar Pednekar Rd, Altinho, Panaji • Open 6am–8pm
A striking edifice atop Altinho Hill, this temple looks beautiful at night when it is lit up. The presiding deity here is the monkey-god Hanuman who can be seen through a tiny hole in the basement wall.
6. Church of St Francis of Assisi
A rare example of the Portuguese Manueline style, this church has a beautifully carved doorway. A pair of navigator’s globes and a Greek cross (the emblem of all Portuguese ships) embellish the door. The painted panels in the chancel depict scenes from the saint’s life. The church is no longer used for worship.
Baroque interior with floral frescoes at the Church of St Francis of Assisi
7. Naguesh Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has an ancient water tank, built in a way that the reflection of the idol of Nagesh can be seen when standing at certain angles around the tank. The temple does not allow entry to foreigners.
8. Lakshmi Narasimha Temple
Pharmacy College Rd, National Highway 4A, Ponda • Open 6:30am–12:45pm & 4:30–8:30pm daily
Surrounded by a forest, this is one of Goa’s most attractive temples, with a sacred tank and an elaborate gateway. The majestic idol of Narasimha, Vishnu’s manlion incarnation, was brought here in the 1560s from South Goa’s Salcete taluka (sub-district).
9. Manguesh Temple
A vividly painted elephant on wheels stands at the entrance to this 18th-century temple, dedicated to Shiva. Inside, Belgian chandeliers hang from the ceiling, while the courtyard has a sacred tulsi (basil) plant growing in a green urn. There’s also a seven-storeyed lamp tower here.
10. Shantadurga Temple
Goa’s most popular shrine was built by Shahuji, the grandson of Maratha chief Shivaji. This russet- and cream-coloured temple has an unusual pagoda-style roof, dominated by a five-storeyed octagonal lamp tower, unique to Goa. Embossed silver screens shield the main sanctuary, which houses the deity of Shantadurga (a form of Shiva’s consort Parvati).
Shantadurga Temple
