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Peak season: Location: Nearby City:
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Moderate Activity Not Applicable
Mon – Sun 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
1 – 2 hrs. (suggested)
Nov to March
Jul to Sep Old Goa Panaji, Goa
Summer: 30°C – 40°C
Winter: 20°C – 25°C
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount is situated on the top of the hill behind St. Cajetan Church. The Chapel was built under the orders of Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1510 and is referred to as in existence in 1519. It was reconstructed twice.
Built in typical Portuguese style, the Chapel is brightly white washed. A series of steps leads to the Chapel, which is built of laterite plastered with lime mortar. The Chapel has 3 altars. The main is dedicated to Our Lady of the Mount. The side altars, dedicated to Lisboa and to St. Anthony, the Hermit.
During 16th century King Adil Shah attacked Portuguese and made an artillery station on the hilltop near the Chapel that inflicted heavy damages on the Portuguese forces. This Chapel was restored to his past glory in 2001. This Chapel one gets a breathtaking view. You can see the entire view of Old Goa. You also get a view of Divar, Chorao islands and the Mandovi River.
The feast is now celebrated not on 8th September but on Sunday after 8th September preceded by a novena. Daily Mass was celebrated when it was a parish now on 8th of every month an evening Mass is celebrated.
Monte Music Festival is organized by Fundacao Oriente in cooperation with the Kala Academy held here every year in November. This annual festival lasts for 4 days. The festival harmonizes Indian classical and Western classical forms of music. During the festival, various artists showcase their musical talent to complete perfection. This festival is a treat for music lovers.
It is on the top of the “Monte” that the chapel of Our Lady of the Mount” was built soon after the conquest of Goa to mark the site from where Adil Shah positioned his artillery against the Portuguese forces to retake Goa in 1510. So when Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the Sultan’s forces, he made a vow to construct a church at the very strategic point on the mount. The church was constructed in 1519 and has been rebuilt twice since.
The Monte chapel is built of laterite blocks covered with lime plaster. Laterite rock is a weathered form of basalt rock; i.e. the softer minerals have been worn away, which is what give the rock its sponge-like appearance. Earlier this chapel could only be reached by climbing a series of laterite steps set into the side of the hillock, but now there is also a road leading up to it.
Built in the Mannerist style and measuring 33m in length and 14m in breadth, this structure is on the large side for a chapel. The walls of the chapel are 2.7m thick and support a roof made of Mangalore tile. The façade of this chapel resembles that of the Se Cathedral to which this chapel was subordinate. Consisting of three sections, the ground floor section has entrances with windows crowned with triangular pediments on the upper section. This is surmounted by a central panel flanked by wings which hide the gable roof of the chapel.
There have been many additions made to the chapel over the years, the earliest of which is a two story loggia attached to the northern wall of the church. Some extensions were also built against the north-eastern wall and the eastern façade, which is behind the altar.
The churches chancel had three altars. The main altar has at its centre the image of Our Lady of the Mount holding the child Jesus. Above it is a picture of the coronation of the Virgin Mary, and below that a picture of Our Lady of Assumption. At the base of the retable are the busts of St. Vincent with a ship and St. Lawrence with a gridiron, the symbol of his martyrdom. The collateral altar is dedicated to St. Anthony.
The nave of the chapel is covered by a barrel vaulted ceiling as is the chancel. However, the breadth of the chancel is less than that of the nave. The main altar is dedicated to Our Lady and its retable is divided into eight sections. In the central niche is a statue of Our Lady of the Mount holding the Baby Jesus, above this is a picture of the Coronation of the BVM and below is Our Lady of Assumption. The picture on the side panels and those on the main altar depict various aspects of the life of Our Lady.
At the base of the retable are two busts, one being St. Vincent who is depicted with a ship and the other is St. Lawrence who is depicted with a gridiron, which is the symbol of his martyrdom. The sub-altars are dedicated to St. Anthony of Lisboa and St. Anthony the Hermit. At the angle of these altars are miniatures of the devil and an inscription in Latin, which translated, reads “my sins are always before me”.
Monte Music Festival
Organized by the Fundacao Oriente in collaboration with the Kala Academy, this festival aims to integrate Indian and Western forms of Classical music. Held in February every year, the festival attracts both performers and music buffs from across various countries and fields. A real must see for any music lover
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