Old Goa

Old Goa is a historical city situated on the southern banks of the Mandovi River in the Ilhas sub-district of North Goa in the Indian state of Goa.

The city was established by the Bijapur Sultanate in the 15th century and served as capital of Portuguese India from the 16th century until its abandonment in the 18th century due to a plague. Before the plague, under the Portuguese, it is said to have been a city of nearly 200,000, whence the spice trade was carried out across the Portuguese East Indies. The remains of the city are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Old Goa is approximately 10 kilometres east of the state capital Panjim.