AGUADA FORT - Timeless Beauty That Never Fades
With a historical legacy of about 400 years, Fort Aguada is a massive and marvelous citadel defining the landscape of Goa. The fort together with its lighthouse is one of the most visited attractions in Goa. Fort Aguada stands overlooking the Arabian Sea and offers mesmerizing views of the surrounding areas. An epitome of Portuguese heritage and architecture, this seventeenth century fort definitely deserves to be on your list when you visit Goa.
Best time to visit
Facts about Fort Aguada
The word 'Aguada' means 'Freshwater' in Portuguese language which was derived from a freshwater spring located within it. It is said that crews of sailing ships used to replenish their stock of potable water from this spring. The Aguada fort lighthouse was one of the biggest Freshwater storage of that time in Asia. According to the locals, this freshwater was also used to cure diseases such as arthritis, and many more.
Fort Aguada Architecture
Fort Aguada has a Portuguese military style architecture. It was constructed using laterite stone, which was found in abundance in Goa. The fort is categorized into two parts- The Upper part and the Lower part.
The Upper part is the fort Aguada which was designed to serve as a Fort and a huge watering station.
The Lower part is known as the Lower Aguada or Sinquerim Fort. It extended a safe berth for the ships belonging to the Portuguese rulers.
The fort is enveloped by walls as high as 5 meters and as wide as 1.3 meters. There are bastions that surround the fort on three sides while the fourth side has a gateway that faces the Mandovi River. The most attractive part of the fort's architecture is a secret passage which was built to help the occupants escape in the case of an emergency or war.
If you are planning to visit Fort Aguada then June to October is the best time of the year. Because during that time you can experience the monsoon season and huge waves hitting the walls of the fort. You can experience the natural spray of the waves standing on the sinquerim fort. The fort is open from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm everyday.
Personal Experience
I went to Fort Aguada with my family and friends for a picnic. From the fort you can see the beauty of nature from a whole new angle. The design and beauty of the fort describes how genius and talented the ancient people were. We were told that the fort had small cells on the floor which were used as prisons for the prisoners. It really was a pity to think how the prisoners fitted in those tiny cells. I visited this fort twice, once during the rains and the other during the summers. You have to go to the lower aguada during the rains because during heavy rains the waves become huge and hit the walls of the fort which sprays over your whole body. It's kind of thriller too because of the sound of waves.
You don't have to worry about food or snacks while visiting the fort as it has many food stalls and restaurants surrounding it. But you must carry a cap or scarf if you don't wanna get a sunburn. Visiting this fort was a really memorable experience and fun way to spend your holiday with family and friends. There's also a plus point, that is near the lower aguada there is the sinquerim beach, so if you're tired roaming on the fort you can relax yourself at the beach. Also you can enjoy the water sports available on the beach.