Built for the Franciscan friars in 1521 and reconstructed in 1661, the Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most interesting buildings in Old Goa. The structure is built of laterite blocks and is lime-plastered. The building has gilded and carved woodwork and old murals which depict scenes from the life of St. Francis. The exterior of the Church is in the Tuscan style while the main entrance is in the Manuline style. The Convent which forms an annexure to the Church was converted to an Archaeological Museum in 1964. The museum has a rich collection of portraits of the Portuguese viceroys and governors of Goa. Other interesting collections are fragments of sculpture from Hindu sites, statue of Albuquerque, a model of Vaso-da-Gama's, Sao Gabriel and the bronze statue of St. Catherine.
Image Credit:
