Скачать или смотреть Fontanhas Area Panjim (Goa) World Heritage Site of UNESCO in Goa :- Most Visted Place of Goa

Goa has always enthralled us with its gorgeous beaches – so much that not many of us realize or even explore what is beyond these beaches. We forget that it has a fabulous history. Thanks to my numerous visits to this state, I have had tons of opportunities to delve into the by-gone heritage and history of Goa. I do not just mean Old Goa but a beautiful living and breathing heritage. I highly recommend that you trace these roots and walk through the living history of Goa with a heritage walk through Fontainhas Goa in Panjim. This is where you can experience its actual culture – a blend of Indian and Portuguese – the one that makes Goa the colorful place it is.

Fontainhas Goa or the Latin Quarters Goa is right in the center of its capital city- Panjim. The first time I did this Goa heritage walk in Fontainhas, I was stunned by its colors and story. The 2nd time on the Panjim heritage walk had me dig deeper into its manner of construction and the third time in Fontainhas Goa, I found more of its hidden treasures. If I get a chance, I will definitely sign up for this heritage walk Panjim and walk the lanes of Fontainhas Goa again – with the same zeal as the first time. I fear there are plenty of treasures still hidden in plain sight!

I am pretty sure that by the end of my post, you would have added this heritage walk Goa to your list of Panjim attractions for your next Goa trip. So without much ado, let’s plunge in with a brief history of Goa.

Fontainhas – Heritage Colony of Goa
Fontainhas, as you may have guessed, has some connection to Fountain. In Portuguese, it actually means that. The name basically comes from the natural spring in this area called the “Fonte Phoenix” or “Fountain of Phoenix“. The spring was found at the bottom of Altinho Hill, near the Mala area of Goa. The Mala settlement was a prominent Hindu settlement and is marked by the Maruti temple dedicated to the monkey God – Hanuman.


Fontainhas Goa history has it that the area was reclaimed by a wealthy Portuguese called “Mossmikar” in the 1770s. The gentleman’s real name was Antonio Joao de Sequeira. Since he had returned with good fortune from Mozambique (East Africa), he soon earned his new nickname. The area he owned became his coconut plantations. The estate and its surroundings were occupied by plantation workers, sailors and fishermen. The aristocratic Portuguese officers resided in Old Goa at that time.

In the later years, when Old Goa faced several epidemics, the Portuguese shifted their capital to Panjim. By then, following the last wishes of Mossmikar, the ownership of these plantation grounds had moved to Convent of Our Lady of Carmo at Chimbel. The Portuguese took over the land and set it up as the residential area for various administrative Portuguese officers. The area thrived from the 1840s and continues to do so today. In fact, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.