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| Old Adil Shah Palace, Goa indiatimes.com |
Above image: Old Palace of Adil Shah of Goa. Steeped in history, the palace was under foreign colonizers for 450- long years till on December 19, 1961.........
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| Adil Shah's palace Old secretariat of Goa). goantourism.com |
Above image: The historic palace of Adil Shah located in the prime area of the city was built in 16th CE by the Sultan of Bijapur Adil Shah.Till 1961, it served as the headquarters of the Portuguese......
Above image: The palace was used by Portuguese Viceroys for a brief stay, rest and relaxation during their travel to and from Portugal. He would stay here, awaiting the receipt of the ceremonial keys to the city of Old Goa at the Viceroy´s Arch. The outgoing Viceroy had to wait here, for a ship bound for Portugal, after delegating his authority in Old Goa...........
Above images: The palace was known as the Idalcaon (Portuguese corruption of the name Adil Shah) Palace, around 1759, when Old Goa ceased to be the capital. The old place building underwent major- renovation and until 1918, it was the vice regal residence when the Viceroy moved into a new residence near near Dona Paula; the only remaining part is the entrance gate made of basaltic rocks that existed before demolition; located at the approach road to St. Cajetan church........
The Adil Shah’s Palace in Goa, today remembered more as the Old Secretariat, stands as one of the oldest surviving monuments in the region, steeped in history and colonial transformation.......
Built around 1500 by Yusuf Adil Shah (1450–1511), the Muslim ruler of Bijapur and founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty, the palace originally served as his summer retreat and fortress. Strategically located on the banks of the River Mandovi, it symbolized Adil Shah’s power and ambition at a time when the Deccan sultanates were vying for dominance. The ruler, aware of the threats from neighboring kingdoms and Portuguese invaders, fortified the palace with an arsenal of 55 cannons and a protective moat.
Above image: Afonso de Albuquerque, first Duke of Goa (1453 -1515).Governor and Captain-General
of the Seas of India. Viceroy of India. He died in India........
The Portuguese, under the leadership of the formidable commander Afonso de Albuquerque, launched a determined military campaign to capture Goa. In 1510, after a series of fierce battles, the forces of Adil Shah were defeated, and Goa fell to the Portuguese. Yusuf Adil Shah died soon afterward, leaving behind a diminished kingdom. The victorious Portuguese took over the palace, referring to it as Hidalcão’s Palace — a corruption of “Adil Khan.” The building became a symbol of Portugal’s first major conquest in India and served as a resting residence for the Viceroys during their travels between Lisbon and Old Goa.
of the Seas of India. Viceroy of India. He died in India........
The Portuguese, under the leadership of the formidable commander Afonso de Albuquerque, launched a determined military campaign to capture Goa. In 1510, after a series of fierce battles, the forces of Adil Shah were defeated, and Goa fell to the Portuguese. Yusuf Adil Shah died soon afterward, leaving behind a diminished kingdom. The victorious Portuguese took over the palace, referring to it as Hidalcão’s Palace — a corruption of “Adil Khan.” The building became a symbol of Portugal’s first major conquest in India and served as a resting residence for the Viceroys during their travels between Lisbon and Old Goa.
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| Gate of Adil Shah PalacePanjim,tripadvisor.in |
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| Adil Shah palace (Goa secretariat) misual.com |
Above image: The palace was used by Portuguese Viceroys for a brief stay, rest and relaxation during their travel to and from Portugal. He would stay here, awaiting the receipt of the ceremonial keys to the city of Old Goa at the Viceroy´s Arch. The outgoing Viceroy had to wait here, for a ship bound for Portugal, after delegating his authority in Old Goa...........
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| Adil Shah palace, Goa . gettyimages.in |
Above image: The palace was known as the Idalcaon (Portuguese corruption of the name Adil Shah) Palace, around 1759, when Old Goa ceased to be the capital. The old place building underwent major- renovation and until 1918, it was the vice regal residence when the Viceroy moved into a new residence near near Dona Paula; the only remaining part is the entrance gate......
It was customary for every newly appointed Viceroy to reside in this palace until receiving the ceremonial keys to the city at the Viceroy’s Arch. Similarly, outgoing Viceroys stayed here while awaiting ships bound for Portugal. Around 1759, when Old Goa ceased to be the capital, the palace was transformed into the official residence of the Viceroy. Subsequent renovations and partial demolitions altered the original Islamic architectural character of the structure. By 1918, when the Viceroy’s residence shifted to a new building near Dona Paula, much of the old palace had already been lost to reconstruction.
It was customary for every newly appointed Viceroy to reside in this palace until receiving the ceremonial keys to the city at the Viceroy’s Arch. Similarly, outgoing Viceroys stayed here while awaiting ships bound for Portugal. Around 1759, when Old Goa ceased to be the capital, the palace was transformed into the official residence of the Viceroy. Subsequent renovations and partial demolitions altered the original Islamic architectural character of the structure. By 1918, when the Viceroy’s residence shifted to a new building near Dona Paula, much of the old palace had already been lost to reconstruction.
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| .indianetzone.com |
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| surviving gate way to the old Adil Shah's palace, Goa .tripadvisor.in |
Above images: The palace was known as the Idalcaon (Portuguese corruption of the name Adil Shah) Palace, around 1759, when Old Goa ceased to be the capital. The old place building underwent major- renovation and until 1918, it was the vice regal residence when the Viceroy moved into a new residence near near Dona Paula; the only remaining part is the entrance gate made of basaltic rocks that existed before demolition; located at the approach road to St. Cajetan church........
After Goa’s liberation and its integration into the Indian Union in 1961, the historic structure gained a new identity as the Secretariat of the Goan Government and later served as the seat of the State Legislative Assembly. Even after the Assembly moved to a new complex at Porvorim across the Mandovi River, the building continued to function as an administrative office. In more recent years, it has been converted into the Department of Art and Culture’s museum, preserving Goa’s artistic and historical legacy.
Today, the only surviving remnant of Yusuf Adil Shah’s original palace is the stone gateway made of basalt — a volcanic rock common in the Deccan plateau. This gateway, located near the approach to St. Cajetan Church, is a silent reminder of the city’s Islamic and colonial past. The palace, once a mighty fortress and later the seat of colonial power, now serves as a poignant symbol of Goa’s layered history, where the splendor of the Adil Shahi era merges with the architectural imprint of Portuguese rule. Part based on my old post: https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2016/07/historical-adil-shahs-palace-goa.html
