Some of the Heritage places of Goa at a glance
OLD GOA – CIDADE DE GOA, VELHA GOA
he story of old Goa begins at a rather modest shrine of Shri Gomanteshwar up in the hills at a distance from the river. The city moved to the banks of the river Mandovi (than called the Gomti) at the end of Kadamba rule. Royal life than revolved around the Saptakoteshwar Temple (where the church of Our Lady of Divine Providence stands today)until the daccan sultans made it their capital and called it Ela.The Portuguese Wrested it from the Adil Shah and began building “The Rome of the East” with churches, chapels, markets, houses and a bustling trading post. The city fell to disease and economic ruin as a consequence of religious persecution and the capital moved to Nova Goa or Pangim (Panaji) in the middle of the 19th century.
PANAJI – THE CAPITAL
The only thing that distinguishes Goa from any other city in India is the 7 km long promenade, built on a planned grid system with a unique storm drain system and perhaps the only city in India that has relocated stone by stone from the capital that fell to disease and ruination. The architectural styles vary from the Goan Domestic Indian Art Deco, Indo European, and Indian Baroque to British Colonial. This place has art combined with functionality. Apart from its architectural wealth the city has a deep treasure chest of cultural patterns and traditions.
SAFA MASJID, PONDA
This mosque was build by Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur. Adjacent to the mosque is a well constructed masonary tank with small dressing chambers with Mihrab designs.
SHRI BRAHMANI TEMPLE, TOLDEM, SANGUEM
This temple is dated in the 12th century and has been built in the Hoysala or kadamba temple style of architecture. There are some erotic sculptures on the walls of the temple and some Graeco Persian mythical figures, animals, birds, etc.
CHANDOR HERITAGE, VILLAGE
Visit Our Lady of Belem church for period furniture and statuary, the twin mansions of the Braganza-pereira families and the heritage home of Sara Fernandes for a look and feel of Goa’s colonial past. You can see Goa’s oldest Fort wall, ruins of the 11th century Shiva temple dating to the Kadamba Periods.
KHANDEPAR CAVES
This cave may have been a pre-historic shrine in active worship once and is now a state protected monument.
SAPTAKOTESHWAR TEMPLE AT NARVA, BICHOLIM
Originally located on the island of Divar in the hamlet of Narva since construction by the Kadamba Queen Kamladevi in 1155 A.D, it was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1541 when the deity was shifted across the river to New Narva Bicholim. Shivaji renovated this temple in 1668.
SHRI MAHADEV TEMPLE, TAMBDI SURLA
This temple standing in the midst of a dense forest may date back in the 12th or 13th century A.D. It was built of black basalt stone masonry with no mortar used for bonding and has monolithic pillars. Facing the east the temple is raised on a plainly moulded plinth.
SANTANA CHURCH, TELAULIM
One of the five models after which all the churches and chapels followed suit, this one perhaps is the most fascinating church of all.