Today, May 18, is World Museum Day. Goa’s old Portuguese houses are living museums that reflect the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era. Their distinctive ‘blacaos and quintals’ provided spaces for relaxation and for growing fruit trees and colourful flowers.
Many of these mansions still feature crystal chandeliers, finely crafted rosewood furniture, ornate cupboards, rocking chairs and recliners. Some even preserve delicate ivory artefacts depicting Jesus, Mary and Joseph, along with antique hunting guns with ivory handles. Tinted windowpanes in these homes often cast colourful patterns of sunlight across walls and floors, adding to their charm.
Equally remarkable is the Museum of Christian Art, which houses an extraordinary collection of historical and religious treasures. Its beautifully crafted exhibits showcase Goa’s rich artistic and cultural heritage and attract visitors from around the world.
For anyone wishing to experience Goa’s regal past and cultural splendour, visiting an old Portuguese mansion and the Museum of Christian Art is truly essential.
