Chapel Of St. Catherine Old Goa

The Chapel of St. Catherine is situated old Goa next to Se Cathedral and west of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. There is narrow road from the Church of St Francis that leads west to the Chapel of St. Catherine. This chapel is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria and built of laterite stones with a tower on either side of the church façade of St. Francis of Assisi.

The chapel was constructed by Afonso de Albuquerque when he conquers Goa on St. Catherine’s day, November 25th 1510. This was extended in 1550 and rebuilt in 1552 with the remains of the earlier structure by the Portuguese Governor, George Cabral using laterite blocks. Governor also inscribed a stone slab inscripting the entry of Alfonso De Albuquerque.

The church is an example of Renaissance architectural style. It has two towers standing on either side of the main entrance and the interior is plain with only an altar. On one side of the Chapel is a stone inscription in Portuguese. The limestone and laterite plastered walls of the church houses a beautifully gilded altar. This is the main altar of the church. The Chapel has rectangular window panes of the Old Portuguese style dressed in mica shells. It is perhaps the second or the third oldest Christian structures in entire Asia. The Church of St. Francis of Asisi at Old Goa lies next to it. Although the Chapel is not functional now, its historical significance goes back to the inaugural year of the Portuguese rule.