2 Indian sites among '7 Wonders of Portuguese Origin'

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LONDON: The magnificent Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa and the Fortress of Diu are among the '7 Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the
World'.


Bom Jesus Basilica


The two Indian sites are rooted in Portuguese colonialism that held sway over Goa, Daman & Diu until the colonies were liberated on 19 December 1961. Goa is now a separate state while Daman & Diu are Union Territories.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa is a world heritage monument built in 1695 and has emerged as a landmark in the history of Christianity. It contains the body of St. Francis Xavier.

Voting for the seven Portuguese wonders was carried out through the Internet and telephone, and attracted 239,418 votes.

The seven selected sites are: Basílica of Bom Jesus (Goa, India), Fortress of Diu (India), Fortress of Mazagao (Morocco), Old Town of Santiago (Cape Verde), Church of Saint Paul (Macau), Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi (Brazil) and Convent of St. Francis (Brazil).

"This initiative demonstrates the pride that we, Portuguese or not, have in its history, its roots. The objective of the New 7 Wonders Portugal always was to arouse interest in the people and to preserve a legacy that is of all humanity", said Segadães Luis, president of the New 7 Wonders Portugal, in the Portuguese city of Portimao.

In 1535, when Sultan of Gujarat Bahadur Shah was attacked by the Mughal emperor Humayun he entered into a defensive alliance with the Portuguese and allowed them to construct a fortress in Diu and maintain a garrison there.

Several attempts were later made by the rulers of Gujarat in 1536, 1545 and 1546 to oust the Portuguese from the Fort of Diu but to no avail.

The fortress of Diu, an imposing structure, was reconstructed by Dom Joao de Castro, a naval officer who was the fourth viceroy of Portugal to India from 1547 to 1548.

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