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Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa

Heritage · Karmali, Goa

A church of the early 1600s in Old Goa that holds the remains of St Francis Xavier, part of the UNESCO World Heritage churches and convents of Goa.

Old Goa was the capital of Portuguese India, and the Basilica of Bom Jesus is its most famous building. Completed in the early seventeenth century, it holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, and it is one of the churches and convents of Goa listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The façade of laterite stone is plain on the outside compared with the richly gilded altars inside. The tomb of the saint was a gift from a Grand Duke of Tuscany. Across the road stand the Se Cathedral and the Church of St Francis of Assisi, with a museum of the Archaeological Survey of India nearby.

The basilica is a working church, so dress modestly, keep your voice low and follow any notices about photography. It is busiest around the feast of St Francis Xavier in early December.

Best time to visit

November to March. Expect large crowds in early December.

How to reach

In Old Goa, about 10 km east of Panaji. Nearest Konkan Railway station: Karmali, a short drive away.

Places nearby

• Fort Aguada
• Dudhsagar Falls

Facts: Wikidata (CC0) and OpenStreetMap; map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.