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Houses of dominance: an overview of the portuguese manor houses in the Province of the North (1521-1739)

Publication . Thakare, Mayur; Santos, Joaquim Rodrigues dos

Located in a strategic geographical area on the west coast of India, the northern region of Konkan, in the present-day northern parts of the state of Maharashtra, the Western parts of the Union Territory of Daman, and the southern parts of the state of Gujarat, have attracted communities and maritime trade since time immemorial. The arrival and establishment of the Portuguese on these lands in the early 16th century caused a paradigm shift in terms of maritime trade and territorial dominance. During their two-century occupation in Northern Konkan, the Portuguese were responsible for introducing artistic, architectural, cultural, and religious practices and traditions. Many of these have been rapidly disappearing due to the accelerated urbanization of the territory around Mumbai. However, among the remnants that can still be found in the former Northern Province territory are the remains of manor houses built by Portuguese landlords. Almost all these manor houses, the traces of which have not disappeared, are now in ruins and their remains are completely neglected.

2025Book part

Open access

Whose heritage?: classification of national monuments in the former Portuguese Estado da Índia during the colonial period, and its post-colonial decolonisation

Publication . Santos, Joaquim Rodrigues dos

The study explores the process of studying and preserving the architectural heritage of the Portuguese Estado da Índia, examining the classification of the national monuments in Goa, Daman and Diu. This process occurred later than similar initiatives in the British Raj and Portugal, and it reflects various political, cultural, and historical factors. The essay investigates, for the first time and in a wide range, the reasons for the survey, study and listing of monuments in these territories by the Portuguese colonial regime, their effective applicability, and the post-colonial decolonisation of the existing heritage legislation. By analysing official bulletins, reports, newspaper articles, historical photographs, and conducting personal interviews, this article provides a comprehensive examination of the patrimonialisation process in the former Estado da Índia, shedding light on the listing of national monuments in 1932 and its ongoing consequences, namely its impact on the relationship between the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the Archaeological Survey of India in the post-colonial era.

2024Journal article

Open access

Heritage research and preservation in the former portuguese colonial territories in Africa and India: an interview with José Manuel Fernandes and Maria de Lurdes Janeiro

Publication . Santos, Joaquim Rodrigues dos; Soares, Clara Moura; Fernandes, José Manuel; Janeiro, Maria de Lurdes

José Manuel Fernandes and Maria de Lurdes Janeiro are a team of architects and researchers – architects and researchers working jointly in the field of Portuguese architecture and urbanism. José graduated in Architecture from the Lisbon School of Fine Arts in 1977, becoming a professor there in 1978, and later a professor at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Lisbon in the fields of History of Architecture and Urbanism. He has held senior positions at various Portuguese cultural institutions and has also played an important role in promoting Portuguese architectural culture in society. Maria graduated in Architecture from the Lisbon School of Fine Arts in 1978 and is an architectural planner and researcher in the field of architectural history. Together, they have published an extensive bibliography on the history of architecture and urban planning, with special emphasis on topics associated with Portuguese-influenced architectural heritage around the world.

2024Journal article

Open access

"Balcão" and the Goan manor houses: anatomy of a singular architectural element

Publication . Santos, Joaquim Rodrigues dos; Carita, Helder; Kandolkar, Vishvesh

The Goan balcão is one of the most striking elements of Goan residential architecture and one of the attributes that is usually mentioned regarding the “Goanness” of Goan houses both for its architectural characteristics and the enormous cultural and social burden associated with it. The balcão precedes the main entrance to the Goan manor house and usually consists of a staircase of greater or lesser apparatus that offers access to a space flanked by masonry benches that can function as a semi-outdoor living space. Its importance in the context of Goan Brahmin Catholic houses can be seen in the individualisation and independentisation of this architectural element within the overall ensemble of the house, having taken on its own forms and expressions that have been replicated, reinterpreted, and reinvented over time.

2025Book part

Open access