The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, located in the old part of India's most famous resort state of Goa, ten kilometres from its capital 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, however, lasted a long four years - from 1517 to 1521. As it was supposed to be, 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 - from the old building remained only the "vestibule". In addition, an educational centre was also established at 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 mouldings - masterfully drawn scenes from the Bible, as well as floral designs typical of Hindu temples. The main hall of the church is richly decorated with gilded mouldings, paintings, columns and carved panels. Two large statues - Jesus Christ and St Francis of Assisi - can also be seen there.
In 1964, the Indian government decided to turn the Church of St Francis of Assisi into a museum, where beautiful paintings, ancient relics and religious paraphernalia are on display for visitors to see.
