EXPLORING PANAJI
Exploring Panaji
1. Cabo Raj Niwas
Raj Bhavan Rd, Dona Paula • 0832 245 3506
Constructed in 1540, this fortress is the official residence of the Governor of Goa. The 500-year-old chapel is open to the public.
Picturesque setting of Cabo Raj Niwas, the oldest residence in the country
2. Azad Maidan
MG Rd, near Police Headquarters, Ozari
This grassy square has a pavilion, made using Corinthian pillars taken from a Dominican church. Inside is a memorial to freedom fighter, Dr Tristao de Braganza Cunha.
3. St Sebastian’s Chapel
St Sebastian Rd, Altinho
The chapel has a life-size unusual crucifix, which shows Christ with his eyes open. It is believed this was done to inspire fear in those being interrogated during the Inquisition.
4. Old Secretariat
Ave Dom João Castro
This riverfront edifice is one of Panaji’s oldest buildings. Originally the summer palace of 16th-century ruler, Yusuf Adil Shah, it was later converted by the Portuguese as a residence for the viceroy. Today, it houses municipal offices and is one of the main venues for the annual Serendipity Arts Festival.
Colonial façade of the Old Secretariat
5. Casa da Moeda
Near Head Post Office • www.casadamoedagoa.wordpress.com
In the midst of Panaji’s Post Office Square stands the Casa da Moeda (House of Coins). This building served as the Mint of Goa from 1834 to 1841. Guests can enjoy afternoon tea here and learn more about the local history, but before visiting a booking needs to be made at least 48 hours in advance.
6. Public Astronomical Observatory (PAO)
Junta House, Swami Vivekanand Rd • 0832 222 5726
Located on the terrace of the Junta building, the PAO is the perfect place for astronomy enthusiasts and for those who would like to enjoy great night views of the capital city.
7. Kala Academy
Dayanand Bandodkar Marg • 0832 242 0452
On the banks of the Mandovi is Goa’s main cultural centre, which hosts performing arts events all year round. Built by architect Charles Correa, the complex has an indoor and open-air auditorium, a black box theatre, an art gallery and an on-site café.
8. Pilar Museum
12 km (7 miles) SE of Panaji • 0832 221 8521
Set on a hilltop, Pilar Seminary was originally built by the Capuchins (a Franciscan order) in 1613, on the site of an old Hindu temple. It has a small museum, which displays Portuguese coins and a stone lion, the symbol of the Kadamba dynasty.
9. Sunaparanta, Goa Centre for the Arts
63/C-8, near Army House, Altinho • www.sgcfa.org
Housed in a pretty villa, Sunaparanta (Konkani for Golden Goa) is a non-profit arts foundation set up by Dipti and Dattaraj Salgaocar. Under honorary director Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi’s watch, the centre hosts various events, including the Sensorium festival.
Roger Ballen’s show at Sunaparanta
10. Panaji Riverfront
Enjoy a riverside stroll from Avenida Dom João de Castro to Campal, passing by the Old Secretariat and Campal Gardens.
FONTAINHAS AND SÃO TOMÉ
Tucked away between Ourem Creek and Altinho Hill in Panaji are the old residential quarters of Fontainhas and São Tomé, built on reclaimed land in the 19th century. Fontainhas was named after the fontain of Phoenix, a spring that was the quarter’s only source of water. Most of the houses are painted yellow, ochre, green or indigo in keeping with the traditional Portuguese building code that every building, except churches, should be colour-washed after the monsoons. São Tomé takes its name from the tiny church, built in 1849. This old-world precinct, characterized by a jumble of painted, tile-roofed houses, has streets lined with taverns offering Goan cuisine and feni (cashew nut liqueur), and bakeries serving bebinca, the delicious local cake.
Rua de Ourem facing Ourem Creek
