Old Goa or Velha Goa was founded in the 15th century CE as a port on the banks of the Mandovi river by the rulers of the Bijapur Sultanate. The city was built to replace Govapuri; which lay a few kilometres to the south and had been used as a port by the Kadamba and Vijayanagar kings.

Old Goa was the second capital after Bijapur of the rule of Adil Shahi Dynasty. It was surrounded by a moat and contained the shah's palace; and his mosques and temples.

The city was captured by the Portuguese; and was under Portuguese rule from 1510 as the administrative seat of Portuguese India. The viceroy's residence was transferred in 1759 to the future capital; Panjim; at the time a village about 9 km to its west.

During the mid-16th century; the Portuguese colony of Goa; especially Velha Goa; was the center of Christianisation in the East. The city was evangelised by all religious orders; since all of them had their headquarters there