Description of the attraction
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, located in the old part of the most famous resort state of India, Goa, ten kilometers from its capital - the city of Panaji, is a beautiful building that harmoniously combines traditional Hindu and Christian elements in its architecture.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi began its history as a small chapel, the construction of which, nevertheless, lasted four long years - from 1517 to 1521. As expected, the building was consecrated immediately after construction, but soon it had to be demolished. In the form in which the church can be seen now, it was erected in 1661 - only the "vestibule" remained from the old building. In addition, an educational center was also established under the new church, which was unfortunately closed by the Portuguese authorities around 1835.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is a huge building, with many halls and intricate corridors. Its walls and ceilings are decorated with paintings and stuccoes - masterfully traced scenes from the Bible, as well as floral designs typical for Hindu temples. The main hall of the church is richly decorated with decorative elements - gilded stucco moldings, paintings, columns and carved panels. Also there you can see two large statues - Jesus Christ and St. Francis of Assisi.
In 1964, the Indian government decided to turn the Church of St. Francis of Assisi into a museum, which displays beautiful paintings, ancient relics and religious attributes for visitors to see.
