Se Cathedral

City: Panaji State: Goa Location: South West India Year of Construction: 1562 Constructed By: Afonso Henriques Type of Construction: Ancient Type of Building: Church Religion: Christianity Importance: the biggest in Goa Famous For: This Cathedral has five bells of which one is the famous Golden bell. Significance : Dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria; houses the Golden Bell used during the Goa Inquisition. The Portuguese Viceroy Redondo commissioned the Se, or St. Catherine's' Cathedral, southwest of St. Cajetan's, to be "a grandiose church worthy of the wealth, power and fame of the Portuguese who dominated the seas from the Atlantic to the Pacific". Today it stands larger than any church in Portugal, although it was beset by problems, not least a lack of funds and Portugal's temporary loss of independence to Spain. It took eighty years to build and was not consecrated until 1640. Situated in Old Goa, Se Cathedral is a monument that truly represents the royalty of Goa in the early days, during the rule of Portuguese. The grandiose structure stands as a momento of the wealth, power and fame of the Portuguese. The church is the largest church in Asia and the prestigious seat of archdiocese of Goa. Even in Portugal, no church can beat this cathedral in terms of size. One of the most sacred buildings for the Christians, Se cathedral has been declared a heritage site by UNESCO. Accommodation : Goa has a vast option for stay. There are many luxury, star rated and budget hotels available all ovber Goa. Old Goa is also no exception. One can also opt for stay in Panaji, 10 Km from Old Goa. Government of India and Goa also have hotels and guest houses in Goa.