FORT AGUADA

Standing on the headland, over-looking the mouth of the Mandovi River, Fort Aguada occupies a magnificent position, especially due to the fact that it was never really taken over by any external force at any point in time in its history.
The impetus for building the fort came from the increasing threat of attacks by the Dutch and construction work was commenced in the year 1612.

The fort actually covers the entire headland and the river, which runs to the northeast at the base of the hill, was once connected with the seashore at Candolim to form a moat, so that the headland was entirely cut off. One of the great advantages of the site was the abundance of water from natural springs on the hillside, which led the fort to become an important watering point for ships and for it to be named Aguada.

Today the main point of interest is the bastion that stands on the hilltop, although this is only a fraction of the fort. The buildings below the bastion on the waterfront now house the state prison, but the old bastion on the hilltop can be visited. Fort Aguada Beach Resort is on the northern side of the hill. Among the impressive sights in the fort are the extremely thick laterite walls. There are huge ground level water storage tanks placed under the main courtyard of the fort. These huge tanks illustrate the fact that water storage during sieges was very crucial. The old lighthouse that stands in the middle of the fort was built in 1864, from which we can have an excellent views south across river towards Cabo Raj Niwas and beyond.

A short way to the east of the bastion is the pretty Church of St Lawrence, which also occupies a magnificent viewpoint. Work started on the church in 1630 and was completed in 1643. Looking down from the church towards the cliff edge, the Aguada Jail can be seen where many inmates serve drug abuse sentences. Fort Aguada can be reached by a deviation from the Panaji-Calangute road by bus or by own transportation.

REIS MAGOS FORT

The Reis Magos Fort stands guard over a very strategic point, where Mandovi river is quite narrow, preventing the entry of enemy ships. The fort was built in the year 1551, after the north bank of the river came under the control of the Portuguese. The fort bravely faced an attack by the Marathas in 1739, when the entire north Goa was occupied and till now has the distinction of never being conquered. In 1798, the British requisitioned both this and Fort Aguada in anticipation of an attack by the French. However, after the British withdrawal, it gradually lost importance and was eventually abandoned by the military.

Till recently it was functioning as a jail and now Reis Magos is all set to become a tourist hotel. The little Church which stands below the fortress walls is made all the more attractive by the imposing black bastion, which looms over it. The approach to the fort is from the Calangute beach, which is the closest point to hire a bike or vehicle from.