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ST. MONICA CHURCHLocation : Old Goa Built In : 1627 Architectural Style : Tuscan-Corinthian and Doric What To See : Museum of Christian Art |
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The Church and Convent of St. Monica
In the Holy Hill, on the way to the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Convent and Church of St. Monica stands kingly on the sacred land of Old Goa. Said to be the oldest nunnery in the entire east, this three-storeyed edifice echos the glory of any 15th century Portuguese castle. It started with a few inmates and assumed great importance with the passage of time. The hallowed site of St. Monica, portraying an articulate contrast in its interiors and exteriors was constructed in the year 1627. Plan a holiday trip to Goa and you just cannot ignore the charm of this sacred shrine, standing with its arms wide open to bless every devotee.
Walk along the premises before you put your feet inside the spacious alcove. This will help you to appreciate the contrast on its inner and outer walls. The Church of St. Monica beautifully portrays an impeccable blend of Tuscan-Corinthian and Composite exteriors, with an elegant Doric and Composite work on its inner frame. Ask the padre and he will tell you how in its hey-day, the chapel was adorned with murals on the rippleless ceilings and walls. Recently, the church has restored many unique and exquisite murals, which were once lost due to dearth of maintainance and funds. Walk on the main floor, and you will reach to a huge room, now used for meditation/prayer. The peeling away of whitewash has revealed a gorgeous dome with murals in imitation to the styles of St. Pauls's Cathedral in the Vatican. The artistry of paintings is of such high quality that you can even term them as 'breathtaking'. Ask for a permission to visit the large chamber in the basement, and you can have the pleasure to behold an almost endless medley of pictures of several saints. Really, it is quite unimaginable that murals of such high quality and such striking beauty could have been there in a nunnery. Remember to see the ambrosial painting of Dona Maria de Corm, a venerable lady who was bestowed with wounds on her hands and feet resembling those of the Christ, after her death!
The Church of St. Monica is located at a 3 mins walk from the Basilica de Bom Jesus in Old Goa. Take the road going slightly uphill south of the Basilica past the library and turn right at the Convent of St. John of God. This serene quarters of Old Goa is situated on the banks of the Mandovi River in east Tiswadi Taluka in Central Goa. Drive comfortably on NH 4A, which begins as the Ribander Causeway, runs east along the Mandovi River, through the rustic and continues south-east to Ponda. For more tourist related information, contact GTDC, Old Goa Tourist Hotel, behind Police Station, near Gandhi statue.
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Top 5 Highlights of St. Monica Church |
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Offering A Religious Holiday The Architecture That Beckons Step Into The Divine Galleria The Painting That Speaks of Pain 
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