Description of the attraction
One of the most famous religious buildings in Old Goa is considered to be the Cathedral of St. Catherine, or as it is also called Se Cathedral. It is one of the largest churches not only in India, but throughout Asia, and bears the name of Catherine of Alexandria.
The cathedral was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese troops commanded by Afonso de Albuquerque over the Muslim army, which allowed him to capture the city of Goa in 1510. This event just coincided with the holiday in honor of St. Catherine, therefore the cathedral was named after her. The construction of the building began in 1552 by order of the Governor George Cabral, then the material for the creation of the temple was … clay, mud and brushwood. Therefore, in 1562, during the reign of the king of the House of Sebastiano, a new project of the church was developed. And the construction was finally completed in 1619, and in 1640 the cathedral was consecrated.
The cathedral was built in the Manueline style - a kind of Portuguese version of the Renaissance style, while the interior design is made in the Corinthian style.
According to the idea, the cathedral had two bell towers, but in 1776 one of them collapsed and, unfortunately, was never restored. But, despite this, the cathedral has not lost its charm and grandeur. Now on the remaining tower there is a bell, named "golden" because of its beautiful sound. It is recognized as the largest in the state and one of the best in the world. In total, there are five large bells in the cathedral.
There are also 15 altars in the cathedral, located in eight different chapels. The main one is the altar of Catherine, on both sides of which there are beautiful old paintings depicting the saint. Next to it is the Chapel of the Divine Cross, in which Jesus himself is said to have appeared to people in 1919. Here you can also admire the wonderful wooden panels, on which scenes from the life of St. Catherine are carved.
The cathedral is truly unique, its magnificent architecture, grandeur and beauty will not leave anyone indifferent. And he was rightfully included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
