The heritage precinct of Campal is Panjim’s hidden gem

Evelyn Siqueira

QUIET, QUAINT QUARTER

While Fontainhas is the uber-famous Latin Quarter of Panjim, Campal, on the other end of the capital city, is a quiet heritage precinct with charming, colonial era homes.

Goa | Campal |heritage precinct | Indo Portuguese house | Photo: Evelyn Siqueira

IT’S ALL PLANNED

With its streets designed in a gridiron pattern, ‘Campo de Dom Manoel’, or Campal, showcases the town planning prowess of the Portuguese. This residential zone features houses built around a garden, FL Gomes garden – the focal point of the area.

Goa | Campal | heritage precinct | Indo Portuguese house | Photo: Roxanne D'Silva

BEHIND THE NAME

A statue of Francisco Luis Gomes – the famed Goan physician, writer, historian, economist and MP in the Portuguese parliament of the time – occupies a pride of place at the entrance of the garden.

Goa | Campal |heritage precinct | F L Gomes garden | Photo: Evelyn Siqueira

TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS

A traditional bandstand and pergola are two colonial features of the Francisco Luis Gomes garden, aka FL Gomes garden.

Goa | Campal |heritage precinct | F L Gomes garden | Photo: Evelyn Siqueira

ALL AT SEA

Across the road, in front of the former Military Hospital, stands a unique pillar bearing navigational markings. Called the ‘Prince Henry the Navigator Monument’, it is a reminder of Goa’s seafaring traditions.

Goa | Campal |heritage precinct | navigation monument

FROM JAIL TO HOSPITAL

The former Military Hospital, in Campal, was once a cadeia or jail.

Goa | Campal | heritage precinct | Military Hospital

READY, AIM, FIRE

A solitary cannon along the main road is the oldest cannon of its type in India, and dates back to the reign of Adil Shah.

Goa | Campal | heritage precinct | cannon

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