Once a sprawling hub of military and naval power, the Arsenal of Old Goa stood west of the Aljube and the Royal Hospital, housing docks, a mint, a gun foundry, workshops, and even a parish church. Today, nothing remains but ruins, yet historical accounts paint a vivid picture of its grandeur and significance.
The arsenal predates the Portuguese conquest and existed during the Adil Shahi period. When Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510, Adil Khan’s men abandoned the fortified site. The spoils left behind included 40 large ships, 26 brigs, numerous pinnaces, 40 heavy guns, 200 muskets, gunpowder, copper, iron, and other war materials. British historian Frederick Charles Danvers later noted that Albuquerque found “forty ships, sixteen fustas, spacious stables containing 160 horses, and arsenals full of artillery, saddles, weapons, and munitions of war.”
Recognising its strategic importance, Albuquerque reorganized the arsenal, employing over 700 workers by 1540. The mint was also established here to issue gold, silver, and copper coins, addressing a shortage of currency in the city. French navigator François Pyrard de Laval, who visited in 1608, described the arsenal as “well-fortified and equipped with stone-built workshops to reduce fire hazards.”
At its peak in the late 16th century, the arsenal functioned as both a dockyard and an industrial complex. Ships were built, cannons cast, coins minted, and military supplies manufactured under tight security. The Yedor, or commandant, resided within the complex, ranking second only to the Viceroy. He supervised the treasury, naval forces, and daily operations while amassing great personal wealth. Opposite his residence stood the richly decorated Church of the Five Wounds, where priests resided, and a pavilion where senior officers met for business.
The site was strictly guarded, with entry and exit permitted only after frisking to prevent theft. Stone workshops housed artisans and labourers, who were paid every Sunday. Portuguese cannons cast here were smaller than their European counterparts but effective in naval battles, especially when loaded with stone cannonballs that splintered upon impact.
However, tragedy struck on June 9, 1753, when a fire destroyed a large part of the arsenal and its ships. Rebuilt in 1773, it continued to serve for a time but gradually declined with the weakening of Portuguese influence. By the mid-19th century, it was closed, and in 1869 the establishment was abolished.
Though now reduced to ruins, the Arsenal of Old Goa remains etched in history as a powerful symbol of Goa’s layered past, an Adil Shahi stronghold transformed into the backbone of Portuguese naval might in the East.