On the hillside above Panaji is the well-to-do residential district of Altinho. Apart from good views over the city and river, the main attraction here is the Bishop’s Palace, an imposing building completed in 1893.
The archbishop of Goa came to reside in Panaji early in the 20th century, laying claim to the palatial residence at Cabo Raj Bhavan. But it was not to be: when the Portuguese governor-general realised that it was the best property in Goa, the archbishop was forced to change his plans and settle instead for this palace. The pope stayed at the Bishop’s Palace during his visit to Goa in 1999. These days it’s used for government offices.
