St Catherine's Chapel, Old Goa, Catholic chapel in Old Goa, India
St Catherine's Chapel in Old Goa is a baroque structure with pale yellow exterior walls built from laterite stones and lime mortar. The building features distinctly Portuguese rectangular window frames and a compact, well-proportioned design typical of colonial-era chapels.
Portuguese commander Alfonso de Albuquerque built this chapel in 1510 following his military conquest of the region from the local ruler Adil Shah. The structure became a symbol of Portuguese colonial settlement and religious expansion in Goa.
The chapel is named after St Catherine of Alexandria, whose life is portrayed in religious artworks and stone carvings that cover the interior walls. Portuguese inscriptions throughout the space tell stories of devotion and faith from the colonial era.
The chapel is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and sits within the historic complex near the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Visiting is easiest during the dry season, as the area is subject to heavy monsoon rains during summer months.
The chapel windows feature an unusual decoration made with mica shells, showcasing Portuguese craftsmanship adapted to local materials during the colonial period. These details are easy to miss but reveal how builders creatively blended European design with what was available in the region.
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