Along with endless beaches, Goa is also dotted with beautiful heritage buildings reminding of the Portuguese who ruled Goa for 450 years. Goa was freed from Portuguese in 1961, but the impact of the rule can be seen and felt in Goa. A significant number of Goans are Christians and many ancient churches jog your memory to the Portuguese period.
The style of architecture of these villas, mansions and heritage houses are a blend of Indian and Portuguese styles. A visit to one of these heritage mansions completes your visit to Goa. These places are referred to as “Old Goa”.
We visited Salvador Da Costa Mansion in a village called Loutolim in South Goa. Loutolim or Loutulim is a small and beautiful village in Salcette taluka of South Goa district. Rolling green hills surround the village and the Zuari River flows nearby.
Padre Pedrinho and Padre Laurence built this single storey mansion in the 19th century. It is a very practical house with less opulence.
At the entrance is a wide veranda with a low-pitch sloped tile roof, which is very common in Indian homes along the coast, to combat the heavy rains. The entrance gives a very elegant look to the mansion. The Gothic style windows and clustered columns give a very European look to the house. An entry ticket of Rs.100 per head is charged and the mansion is open from 9:00 a.m to 5:30 p.m.
Opposite to this house I saw another abandoned white mansion and liked the very style of the mansion. It reminded me of the house in the 1938 novel “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. The mansion is raised on a high plinth and its porch with the arches is just lovely.
In Panjim I spotted many heritage buildings, which were undoubtedly influenced by European and Portuguese architecture.
There are few interesting and colorful buildings on the road beside the Mandovi River. Some of these heritage buildings of Goa are being used as Government offices.
Other heritage buildings worth a visit in Goa are:
Miranda Mansion, Figueredo Mansion in Lutolim
Solar Dos Colacos Mansion, banks of Mandovi River
Menezes Braganza, Braganza Pereirera Mansion in Chandor
Mascarenhas Mansion in Anjuna beach
Dr Pinto De Rosario Mansion in Panjim and Mapusa
Place Statistics:
Type of Place: Heritage Building
Situated: Salcetta Taluk, South Goa
Distance: 29Kms from Panjim
Transport: Private Taxis and Vehicles, Buses ply upto the village, nearest rail head is Margao – 9Kms, nearest airport is Dabolim – 22 Kms
