The Churches and Convents of Goa

As a "shining ruler over the orient" described the Portuguese old Goa , the capital of their Indian overseas empires. With 300,000 inhabitants, the "golden Goa " was once larger than Lisbon or Paris. Goa is a very old Hindu city. It was established in the current condition in the 15th century again. After some malaria epidemics in the 17th century and in the first half of the 18th century (especially in the year 1738), the majority of the population moved into that time's suburb Panaji; as a seat of the viceroy of Portuguese-India, the city remained exist however until 1759, when it was moved to Panaji, also known as Vehla Goa (Old Goa).

he Churches and Convents of Goa were nominated in 1986 by UNESCO in list of world cultural heritage sites. Some of the famous sites are St. Cajetan, a reduced copy of the Peter cathedral, the Se Cathedral, once the largest church of Asia and St. Francis of Aassisi, the powerful church of the Franciscan, now a museum. Other churches are St. Monica and St. Augustine. The most popular church of Goa, built at the end of the 16th century, is Basilica of Bom Jesus, that goods Jesus", the basilica of the Jesuits (Society of Jesus). Yet always thousands of believers worship him. The corpse of St. Francis even after so many years showed no traces of the decay. Yet today he appears quite well maintained in his glass coffin.