Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Catholic church in Panaji, India.
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church is a white Baroque structure with two bell towers positioned on a hill overlooking the city. A zigzag staircase connects the church from the municipal garden below, creating a formal approach to the main entrance.
The church was built in 1609 on the site of an earlier chapel dating to 1541, serving as a spiritual hub for Portuguese sailors arriving in colonial India. It remained a central place of worship through centuries of colonial presence and beyond.
The church's dedication to the Immaculate Conception reflects centuries of Portuguese religious tradition in this region. You can see this influence woven into the way the space is arranged and decorated.
The best time to visit is during daylight hours when the interior is fully illuminated and details are clearly visible. Wear comfortable shoes since the zigzag stairs leading up to the entrance are steep and require some effort to climb.
One of the bells in the tower came from the ruins of a historic church in Old Goa and was moved here, creating a physical link between two important religious sites. This transfer preserved a piece of the region's religious past in an active place of worship.
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