The Se Cathedral - Heritage Trails Through Goa

The Se Cathedral is one of the most ancient and celebrated religious buildings of Goa. It is said to be the largest church in Asia. The Se Cathedral is dedicated to St. Catherine, as it was on her feast day, 25th November 1510 that Alfonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa. Engineers Julio Simago and Ambrosio Argueiro designed Se Cathedral for the Dominicans, when Viceroy Redondo was instructed by the Portuguese government to commission “ a grandiose church worthy of the wealth, power and fame of the Portuguese”. Subsequently The Se Cathedral came in to being.

The Church - A Bird's Eye View
The architecture of the Se Cathedral is typically Portuguese in style with a Tuscan peripheral and Corinthian core. The church is approximately 250 ft in length and 181 ft in breath. The frontispiece stands at a height of 115 ft. Originally, there were two towers, on either side of the facade, but the one on the southern side plummeted in 1776. The exterior of the Cathedral is noteworthy for its plain style, which is typical of the Tuscan institution. The fallen bell tower was never rebuilt and has given the building an exceptionally charming look.

The Se Cathedral is famous for its five massive bells. The existing tower houses a famous bell, 'Golden Bell' which is one of the largest in Goa. On account of its melodic tone, it has been commemorated in a Portuguese poem. The main altar is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. Old paintings on either sides of the altar portray scenes from her life and martyrdom.

The Cathedral has been built on a raised plinth of laterite, covered over with lime plaster. There is a long nave, two aisles and a transept. A bell tower is located to the southern side of the façade. The nave is barrel-vaulted while the crossing is rib-vaulted. Massive pillars support the vault in the nave and the choir, while the chapels on either side are separated by internal defenses. The building is oblong on plan but has a cruciform layout in the interior.
The main entrance in the façade has Corinthian columns on plinths supporting a pediment containing an inscription in Latin recording that, in 1562, in the reign of King Dom Sebastiao, this Cathedral was ordered to be erected, the Archbishops and the primates being administrators and that the succeeding kings continued the same at the cost of the Royal Treasury.

Scoop
Place - Goa
Area - 8 sq . km
Altitude - 250 ft.
Built In - 1562
Built By - Portuguese
Best Season To Visit - December to February
Local Transport - Buses, Auto rickshaws etc.

Climate
Goa, located in India, is home to an equable climate which is neither too hot nor too cold but humidity and sun are the other characteristics of Goa.

Accommodation Options
The possibilities for accommodation in Goa are virtually limitless, stretching all the way from snazzy resorts and upmarket hotels to affordable guest houses, cottages and local inns. Budget options include dormitories and hostels, or home stays, which can be a great way to see Goa up close. The only thing to keep in mind is that Goa’s immense popularity makes accommodation scarce during the peak season; book well in advance.

Dining Delight
There are restaurants and wayside cafes around Old Goa that offer a variety of cuisine and are generally budget friendly.
Getting There
Goa, thanks to its popularity as a tourist destination, has plenty of connections to the rest of India. The domestic airport at Dabolim (30 km from Panaji) has frequent flights from Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kochi, besides chartered flights from overseas. The two railway stations- at Vasco da Gama and Margao- also have a number of trains arriving at Goa from the rest of the country. In addition to that, there are bus networks which connect the state to other cities and towns in Western and Southern India.