The churches of old goa In the 16th and 17th centuries,old Goa-the first captain of the Portguese- was often referred to as the Rome of the East". not only was it built on seven hills like the city of the Rome but it was also the seat of the Roman catholic church,the papal see in the east with jurisciction over all of Asia. Old goa is now a world Heritage site and has the largest concentration of churches, convents and monuments within a small area. you will need more than a day here to fully appreciate its significance.
A truly breath taking church in old Goa is the st.Cajetan Chruch which is regarded as a miniature version of the Basilcia of st. peter in Rome. its baroque interiors, mother of pearl windows and intricate woodwork are considered the finest in Goa. The Basilica of Bom jesus the mausoleum of st. francis- is probably the most widely visited church Goa and is the finest exmple of baroque architecture in India. A stone's thrown away is santa monica convent- the world second largest convent which house the museum of christian Art, the only one in Asia.
Temples of Goa Hindus constitute a majority of the Goan population and there are numerous temples across Goa's 11 Talukas where the religious are able to venerate their deities. The temples that arouse most interest includes the Mahadev Mandir in Tambdi surla at mollem which was built in the 12th century.This temple is dedicated to lord shiva and built from basalt stone. The Shri Manguesh temple in priol houses the shivalingam and its architecture is noteworthy for its mix of Mughal domes and baroque accents borrowed from Goa's churches. other popular temples include Shantadurga Devi Mandir and Mahalaxmi Devi Mandir.
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