Market
Equipment and Infrastructures
The Sanguem Municipal Market is located just south of the main road through the town and is one of several structures built during the period of Portuguese presence, along with the public administration building and the primary school.
The construction seen nowadays was built in two easily discernable stages whose volumes are symmetric with respect to the central patio. The initial part, possibly built in the early decades of the 20th century, was H-shaped. The second volume, symmetric to the first, was placed adjacently to the south, thus forming a central patio and giving the market its current configuration. The second construction phase must date from 1990, as indicated on the respective inauguration plaque.
Each body is divided into two groups of stalls, some which open to the street and others to the interior. There are also passages between stalls to facilitate circulation between inside and outside. Although in the initial volume there was no clear distinction between market interior and exterior, the building’s design clearly assumes this difference, forming galleries inside, while outside the stalls face the street.
Despite some changes in the older construction, specifically to the roof, the care taken with structural elements, assumed as classically inspired decorative components, can still be seen. The existing pediments on the main façade still bear medallions with the inscription “Mercado Municipal”. The back façade has an identical element.
This small market is one of the best examples of small commercial structures built in the centre of towns throughout much of Goa’s territory. Its state of preservation is not very good.
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