PORTUGUESE HERITAGE IN FONTAINHAS

PORTUGUESE HERITAGE COLONY IN FONTAINHAS (MALA)

Fontainhas (or Bairro das Fontainhas, in Portuguese) is an old Latin Quarter in Panjim, capital city of the state of Goa, India. In the late seventeenth century, a Goan expatriate named Antonio Joao de Sequeira (nicknamed Mossmikar), who had made his wealth while working in Mozambique, established Fontainhas.(1770).





Fountainhas offers the visitors the chance to walk through history, and discover the Portuguese colonial period in Goa.

It maintains its Portuguese influence, particularly through its architecture, which includes narrow and picture square winding streets as found in many European cities.

Old villas and buildings with projecting balconies painted in the traditional tones of pale yellow, green, or blue, and roofs made of red coloured tiles. It was done as per the European style.

Portuguese houses inFontainhas

The coloured wash on the houses looked decorative and was a sign of economic well-being. During Portuguese rule the owner of the house was fined if his house was not painted. Till date, the houses are freshly painted every year.

The houses and the lanes are kept very clean. During Portuguese rule , every urban resident was mandated by law to paint his house every year after the monsoons, this practice is still continued as a tradition.

Roosters on top of Portuguese houses in Fontainhas

It is very easy to identify the Portuguese houses. All Portuguese houses have a bright coloured rooster on the top. Rooster is a national symbol of Portugal which symbolises honesty, integrity, trust and honour. Every Portuguese is supposed to have this on top of their houses to bring them good luck.

Statues of soldier on top of houses in Goa

Some houses in Goa have statues of soldiers on the top. This signifies that the house belonged to a freedom fighter.

Statues of soldiers on top of Portuguese houses in Goa

Art Portuguese House in Fontainhas (Mala)

Art Galleries in Fontainhas

There are a couple of art galleries in Fontainhas, which are frequented by art and architecture students who come to learn about the ancient architecture of Goa. Fontainhas Art Festival is organised here every year for a week when the historic houses are turned into galleries. The residents of these houses display their artworks, unique architectural features of their balconies, and furnishings in their dining halls. 

work inside the House

Every year, for one week, the historic houses in Fontainhas are turned into art galleries, with residents displaying their artworks, unique architectural features of their balconies, and furnishings in their dining halls.

Art Houses Resorted