<p>Palghar: The iconic Our Lady of Grace Cathedral in Vasai in Palghar district of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra">Maharashtra </a>has been conferred with the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.</p><p>The Vasai Cathedral, as it is popularly known, is located at Papdy in Vasai West, nearly 80 km away from downtown Mumbai. </p><p>The church dates back to 1574.</p>.Iconic Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower restored in Mumbai.<p>Over the past few years, a massive restoration work was undertaken.</p><p>The UNESCO citation said, “The conservation of the Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, a tangible testament to the establishment of Catholicism in Maharashtra, is noteworthy for reviving a sixteenth-century structure that embodies the architectural legacy of the Portuguese colonial architecture in India. Of particular significance is the thoughtful restoration of the cathedral’s interior, a space of profound ritual and spiritual significance.”</p><p>“The skilled use of traditional craftsmanship, especially in the hand-carved renewal of liturgical elements, successfully reinstated the interior as a living place of worship and communal devotion. Despite a modest budget, the project was realised through the parish community’s sustained engagement and donation network, underscoring the vital role of local participation in heritage conservation,” the citation added. </p>
<p>Palghar: The iconic Our Lady of Grace Cathedral in Vasai in Palghar district of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra">Maharashtra </a>has been conferred with the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.</p><p>The Vasai Cathedral, as it is popularly known, is located at Papdy in Vasai West, nearly 80 km away from downtown Mumbai. </p><p>The church dates back to 1574.</p>.Iconic Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia Clock Tower restored in Mumbai.<p>Over the past few years, a massive restoration work was undertaken.</p><p>The UNESCO citation said, “The conservation of the Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, a tangible testament to the establishment of Catholicism in Maharashtra, is noteworthy for reviving a sixteenth-century structure that embodies the architectural legacy of the Portuguese colonial architecture in India. Of particular significance is the thoughtful restoration of the cathedral’s interior, a space of profound ritual and spiritual significance.”</p><p>“The skilled use of traditional craftsmanship, especially in the hand-carved renewal of liturgical elements, successfully reinstated the interior as a living place of worship and communal devotion. Despite a modest budget, the project was realised through the parish community’s sustained engagement and donation network, underscoring the vital role of local participation in heritage conservation,” the citation added. </p>