Se Cathedral

Se Cathedral in Old Goa is one of the largest churches in Asia and the seat of the Archbishop of Goa and Daman. It was built by the Portuguese to commemorate their capture of Goa on the feast of St Catherine of Alexandria in 1510, and is dedicated to her. Construction began in 1562 and took decades, with the cathedral consecrated in 1640. The exterior is in a plain Tuscan style, while the interior is richly decorated in the Corinthian manner. The main altar is gilded and features paintings depicting the life of St Catherine. The cathedral originally had two towers, but one collapsed in 1776, leaving the single tower that holds the famous Golden Bell, known for its rich tone. It is part of the Churches and Convents of Goa UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is worth the trip for its sheer scale and its central place in Goa's colonial history.