Famous Churches - The Se Cathedral of Goa, India

The Se Cathedral in Goa, India

Se Cathedral is one of the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa.
The Se cathedral is one of the largest churches in Asia and it took eighty years to get completed. This cathedral was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over a Muslim Army, leading to the capture of the city of Goa in 1510. The Se Cathedral of Goa is located in old Goa, and is around 9 kilometers from the capital city Panaji. The Se Cathedral of Goa is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. The actual construction began in 1562 under the reign of King Dom Sebastião and substantially completed by 1619. This magnificent edifice was built in the 16th century under the Portuguese rule in India. It was sanctified in 1640.

Interior of "The Se cathedral in Goa"

After the construction, The Se Cathedral of Goa was declared to be the largest church in Asia. The architectural style is an amalgamation of Gothic elements and typical Portuguese style.
The exterior of the church is constructed in the Tuscan style while the interiors have been constructed in the Corinthian style. The length of the church is 250 feet and the breadth is 181 feet. The entrance of the church is ornately decorated and measures around 115 feet in height. The church is famous for its giant bell known as the "Golden Bell".
In the interiors are placed six altars in the transverse part of the Cruciform of the church, three on either side of the main altar. To the right are those of St. Anna, Our Lady of Doloures and St. Peter and on left are those of Our Lady of Sorrows, Our lady of Three Necessities and Our Lady of Hope. The arches of four of these chapels are adorned with paintings depicting scenes from the life of saints.

Interior of "The Se Cathedral in Goa"

The bell is known for its melody and rich tone and is the largest bell in Goa and one of the best in the world. It is said that here a vision of Jesus Christ had appeared in the year 1919. It is believed that since then, the cross hung over there has been growing in size slowly.