AGUADA FORT - GOA

Aguada fort is situated in Goa, India. The fort was constructed in 1612 to guard against the Dutch and the Marathas. It was a reference point for the vessels coming from Europe at that time. A freshwater spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that used to stop by. This is how the fort got its name: Aguada, meaning Water. On the fort stands a four-storey Portuguese lighthouse, erected in 1864 and the oldest of its kind in Asia.

The fort was built to control the entry into the river Mandovi and to protect Old Goa from enemy attacks.located at the estuary of the river Mandovi, this fort was constructed as a guard against invasions from the Dutch and the Marathas. The walls of this fort are 5 meters high and 1.3 meters wide.

It’s a best example for the Portuguese military architecture. It’s a big fort that covers a large part of the peninsula at the mouth of river mandovi. A delight for a military architect was the position of the fort citadel situated at the heart of the fort on the western tip of the headland commanding any seaward approach. It is now used as a jail outside the area of the fort and can still be visited. Similar to all forts built by the Portuguese where the fort configuration usually conforms towards the ground, this one is in form of a square with bastions for artillery placed at each of its three corners, while the fourth corner is occupied by a main gate. Each of the three corners are strongly defended by a dry moat and extremely thick walls while the fourth faces out on the steep slope towards the river.  At one time, 200 cannons were a part of this fort.

Aguada fort has the one of the oldest light house. The building has a solid appearance with the presence of a balustrade around the platform with a curving staircase to the lamp housing. The great bell from the Augustinian church was initially brought here before getting transferred to the Panjim church.

There are places for accommodation in Aguada:

11)   Hotel Columbus

22)   Beach hotel de Aguada

33)   Rincon of the seas gran Caribbean hotel (9km from Aguada)

are some.