Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim

The Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição) is the oldest Portuguese-built church in Panaji, standing on a hill above the Mandovi in the Fontainhas quarter. Built in 1540-41 as a chapel for Portuguese sailors landing at the Mandovi (giving thanks for safe arrival from Lisbon) and rebuilt as a full church in 1619 to serve the Portuguese governor's residence that stood below. The whitewashed facade with twin flanking octagonal towers and the long zigzag staircase of 1871 climbing to the entrance are the single most reproduced image of Panaji. The 2,250-kg bell at the top, cast from the collapsed Augustinian tower on Monte Santo (Old Goa), was rung every half-hour from 1871 to 2011. The annual Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December is one of the oldest continuously-held Catholic festivals in Asia.