This majestic 16th century church is a monument to the Roman Catholic rule in Goa during the Portuguese occupation. It is one of the most ancient and celebrated religious buildings in all of Goa and the largest church in all of Asia. In 1510, on the day of the Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Alfonso Albuquerque defeated the Muslim army and took possession of the city of Goa.
The church is thus dedicated to her and is also known as St. Catherine’s Cathedral. The cathedral was commissioned by the then Portuguese Viceroy of Goa, Redondo, who wanted it 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.” The final building is bigger than any church in Portugal itself.
