Terekhol (sometimes called tiracol ) Fort is a beautiful fort, located at the northernmost tip of Goa, on top of a hill, at the confluence of the Terekhol (tirachol) river with the Arabian Sea. It lies right at the border between Maharashtra and Goa. Since it is right at the top of the hill, it offers a breath-taking bird’s eye view of the sea, the river and the Querem and Kalacha beach.
This ancient and imposing fort is probably the best preserved and most visited fort in Goa. Though it is steeped in history it has also been extremely well preserved and converted into a gorgeous luxurious boutique hotel. There are few rooms so you may not always get a booking very easily, but you can always console yourself with an equally gorgeous luncheon at the hotels’ restaurant. The panoramic seascapes from here are views to die for.
Perched on a comfy chair on the top verandah, or in one of the rooms’ private balconies, you can see for miles around, breathe deeply of the crisp, fresh sea air and lose yourself in the history of the 15th century.
In the courtyard of this fort lies a church (Church of St. Anthony) where a service is still celebrated with pomp and grandeur on the feast of St. Anthony, in the month of May.
In the Konkani dialect, the word ‘Tir’ means furthest point and the word ‘khol’ means ‘very deep.’ The nearby village, and this fort, probably gets its name from the fact it is located at the furthest point of Goa and has a river of great depth which one has to cross.
Historical…
The fort was initially under the command of the Maharaja of Sawantwadi – Khem, Sawant Bhonsle. These Bhonsles keeps a sizable fleet of native ships sheltered in the Tiracol river, protected by the forts’ 12 guns.
The Portuguese, under general de Almeida conquered the fort in 1746 and set about building the church which still stands in the courtyard
In 1961, Goa was liberated from the Portuguese, by the Indian government. Ownership of the fort changed hands. For a long time, the fort was in ruins, but recently, it has been restored and it’s now converted into a luxury heritage hotel. Read the full history by clicking the interactive book @ http://www.forttiracol.in/over-view/
Chic modern rooms, restaurant, tavern, and cafe
What served as a fort and a jail, now serves as a picturesque luxury heritage hotel that offers both, the privacy and homely feel of a chic boutique hotel and one that has its soul soaked in history and legend. You can book into one of the 2 suites named Friday and Sunday. Or into one of the 5 Deluxe Double Rooms: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The quaint names add to the charm. If you don’t have time for an overnight visit, you can still spend a lazy afternoon having lunch here or a beautiful dinner under a star-spangled sky with a panoramic view of the sea, and the river. Visitors just love the views at the Tavern Restaurant Lounge Bar and Verandah and at the Al Fresco Garden café.
Information source and pic credits: http://www.forttiracol.in
