Arch of the Viceroys

The Arch of the Viceroys (Portuguese: Arco dos Vice-Reis), also known as Viceroy's Arch, was erected in 1599 in Goa, India, by Viceroy Francisco da Gama. It was erected to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India in 1498. The arch was located near the Mandovi River. It acted as a ceremonial gate for Portuguese viceroys entering their capital of Portuguese India, the City of Goa. It is constructed with black laterite stone and stands at 12 meters tall with a statue of Vasco da Gama above the key stone. It was one of the ancient gates to the fortified city. On these fortifications was situated the palace of the fortress or the Vice-Reis palace, a lofty edifice that lied directly above this arch. The fortifications along with the palace fell into ruins following the abandonment of the city, and were demolished during the late 1820’s. Today nothing hints at the presence of that magnificent edifice, as is the case of most civil buildings in the city. The arch collapsed in 1948 and was rebuilt in 1954. It is now guarded by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a national treasure and is located alongside Old Goa’s World Heritage Site with churches as part of Monument of National Importance in Goa. History The Arch of the Viceroys was constructed in 1599 AD under Francisco da Gama, who was a Viceroy of Portuguese India from 1597 to 1600. It replaces existing Adil Shah arch which acts as a gateway for Adil Shah palace. It was erected to commemorate his grandfather Vasco da Gama, who discovered ocean route to India in 1498. Old Goa was the capital of Portuguese India, and every viceroy entering India will walk through this arch in a ceremonial parades. It was later integrated into the Adil Shah Palace gates, it linked Portugal’s rule to the Bijapur Sultanate’s reign before them. A carving was marked on the arch date back to 1640, which marks the Portugal was bifurcated from Spain. The material used for the construction of arch is laterite stone with green granite facing the river, on the top of the arch, there is Baroque flair with carvings like a deer from Vasco’s crest. A statue of Vasco da Gama in kingly robes topped it. A St. Catherine figure, tied to Portuguese triumphs was added to the arch but were later removed. The arch got crumbled in 1948, worn down by monsoons and time. The Portuguese government patched it up in 1954, keeping the core design, though St. Catherine’s statue moved to a museum. Recent Developments The Arch of the Viceroys has been taken over by Archaeological Survey of India in 1954 after its renovation and it was made part of Old Goa’s UNESCO zone. The 2010 Ancient Monuments Act banned building within 300 meters, locking in its protection. In 2022, ASI renovated the arch and its surroundings with ₹20 lakh (US$21,000), adding weatherproofing. Inscriptions The arch has a few epigraph inscriptions written in Portuguese and Latin. An inscription on a long horizontal plaque reads: „REINANDO ELREI D. PHELIPE 1º POS A CIDADE AQUI DOM VASCO DA GAMA 1º CONDE ALMIRANTE DESCOBRIDOR E CONQVISTADOR DA INDIA, SENDO VIZO‑REI O CONDE DOM FRANCISCO DA GAMA SEV BISNETO O ANO DE 97” Translation: "During the reign of King Dom Philip I, Dom Vasco da Gama, first Count, Admiral, discoverer and conqueror of India, established the city here; while his great-grandson, the Count Dom Francisco da Gama, was Viceroy, in the year (15)97." The name of the architect is also mentioned: „IVLIVS SIMON ING. MAG. INV.” (Julius Simon, Chief Engineer, designed [this arch]). References