Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount in Ella, India

To the east of Old Goa, a small road leads up a hill where an old church overlooks the hilltop vista. From a distance, the most striking feature of this church, known as the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount, is its setting. Stone steps lead up to the church from the bottom of the hill.

Afonso de Albuquerque built the church between 1510 and 1519 after the Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510. According to historical sources, during the battle between Adil Shah and Afonso de Albuquerque, Adil Shah positioned his artillery on this hill. After the battle, Afonso built the church here due to the importance of the hill's strategic location.

From the hill, one can get a fantastic view of the Mandovi river and Divar Island to the north and the rest of the churches of Old Goa to the west. The shade of the church's nearby trees makes this spot a cool, windy, and beautiful spot on hot sunny days.

Many Bollywood films have used the church as a backdrop.