About 5km north of Goa Velha, in the small village of Talaulim, the massive Church of St Anne (known to the local people simply as Santana) is an imposing 17th-century structure which, after years of monsoon rain and neglect, had begun to crumble. Restoration work in the early 2000s brought the stunning facade largely back to its former glory as one of the greatest churches of its type – baroque, with Indian influences – in existence. Its massive five-storey facade is covered in intricate carving, and the interior – largely dating from the 18th and 19th centuries – is still intact. If you find the chapel locked, tug on the church bell to summon the key-holder.
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