You can say fort kochi is the first stepping stones of the Europeans in kerala . It is a island full of architectural marvel , old churches and place for jews and old chines fishing net and many more . First Portuguese then dutch and at last English people come here . It is also the main hub of of cochin city for both the backpacker and luxury tourist . You can see many European tourists gathered there .
Jews Town :
This is a popular tourist place and hub for the different antiques . In this jews town you can buy some cloths to jewellery to some artifacts . You can see big bronze pots and burned soil pots in the antique shops .
In this a market where you can see some of the spice shops selling different types of spices but prices are high compared to broadway market in ernakulam as this is situated in the middle of the tourist Hub .
Two Boilers :
This are two steam boilers situated in the beach . This steam boilers were used to operate the cranes in the time of 1956 . 20 years this boilers were used and cock , coal and fire woods were used to operate this machines . This are mainly used to repair the dredger . This lookd very unique and there is a small description below this platform.
Fort Emmanuel :
This is the oldest fort in the fort kochi which was build by portuguese . Head of the kochin state permission Afonso de Albuquerque to build a fort in this place around 1503 . Santa cruz basilica was the part of this fort .
This fort was completed in the year 1538 and and remained portuguese until destroyed by dutch in the year 1663 . Later in 1795 british has control over this fort . Only some remains with a canon left for the fort as the main fort was destroyed by the dutch
Bastion Bunglow :
Bastion Bunglow is one of the oldest in fort kochi and was build by Portuguese in the year 1503 . The fort has a double layered wall and in between are the coconut trees . A large moat was build around the fort . There were seven Bastion inside this fort which is fort emanuel . dutch destroyed six of them and the only left is the Bastion Bungalow . After dutch British has captured this fort in 1795 .
Now this bunglow becomes the Museum . Inside the museum the history , specially the colonial history and the maritime trade of the Kerala people are described . They have a history of maritime trade with Africa , europe , egypt and , Babylonian and sumatra . This building also made in the traditional style and curved wooden ceiling are worth to visit . In the first floor of the fort there was a canon fitted towards the sea to defend the fort from maritime attack .
This museum in Bastion bunglow is opened between 10 am and 5 pm except monday . Entry ticket for the Indian is 20 INR and 100 INR for the Foreigners .
Mattancherry Palace :
Mattancherry palace popularly known as the Dutch palace was build in the year 1545 by the Portuguese and gifted to the king of the Kochi to please them . They also make a formal pack with the kingdom of kochi to protect them from the attacks of the Zamorins of calicut . Later Dutch attacked Portuguese and defeated them in 1663 and get coontrol of the palace . Dutch renovated some parts of the palacefor that reason this palace is also called the dutch palace .
This palace was build in traditional Kerala style . In the centre of the palace there was a sculpture of the deity Paznayannur Bhagawati who is the royal deity of the kochi royal family . Except this there was Bed chamber (Ramayana room ) , Ceremony hall , Kovinathalam(stair case room ) and Ladies room . You can see beautiful mural painting from the Ramayana and Mahabharata explaining different stories . For making this paintings mostly natural colors were used .
In the exhibition of the museum there were different coins and postal stamps , palanquin , portrayed of the Maharajas , Royal beds , different weapons , different daily items used in regular basis and many more . specially the wood curvings in the ceiling are worth to notice .
The Mattancherry palace is opened daily from 10 am to 5 pm and Friday is closed . Ticket price for entry is use 5 INR
David Hall :
David Hall is the a oldest residential house of the ruler Van Rheede . This building was build in the later 17 th century and now a days used as a Art centre . Now a days there was a big cafe with some musical performances also .
Here lots of local artists shown their art forms and make paintings . When I visited this hall I met some artist who makes a caricature painting of me . You can also make painting of yours .
It is opened from 8 am to 9 : 30 pm and monday is closed . Entry to this area is free .
Kerala Kathakali centre :
Kathakali is a unique dance performance on the basis of the epic of Ramayana and Mahabharata . Rather than kathakali there are south indian classical dance , kalaripayattu and indian classical music shows in the evening . It is situated near santa cruz cathedral basilica .
This dance performance happens between 6-7 pm and entry price is 500 INR .
Chines Net :
In the bay of the Fort kochi , you can see very big wooden structure and net was fitted in it . Previously with the help of pully and people they submerged it inside the water and after sometime pull it back . In the process they collected some fish .
This is a big wooden structured techique comes from the chines marchents in between 1350 – 1450 . This types of fishing techniques were used in the southeren china and the indochina(which is laos , vietnam ) .
Now a days motor is used it to pull it back . This is a tourist attraction in this place . You can also join with them and pull the net back . In one side of the net there is this big net but in another side there is wooden structure tied up with big rocks .People make video of this process and they also sing some local song on that time . In the contrary they expect some tips from you . People are very friendly here and this is a very pleasant experience.
You can catch fresh fish from the bay and in the backward there were shops which cook this fishes . All the day fishing happens here and closed in the evening .
Jews Cemetery :
Tombs of the jewish cemetery is called Gan Shalom . which means in hebrew is Garden of peace . It is the final resting place of the people died of the jews community . This cemetery is very near to the synagogue but closed most of the time . Nearby locals said that it only opens one time in the year for special celebration . In the tombstone messages were written in hebrew .
Dutch cemetery road :
This is a dutch cemetery which was established in the year 1724 where dutch people were buried . Before that in this place there were fort emannuel . When dutch comes they destroy everthing and the fort also . In that place they make a small fort and this cemetery .
This fort is closed all the time , just outside look is possible .
Pardeshi synagogue :
After coming in the jews synagogue I have learned that jews history in this land is almost as old as the Jesus . They first come here in 72 CE in cranganore (just 35 km north of the kochi ) .They have a very good relation with the kochin king and was there upto 1524 unless portuguese and moors destroyed their homes and they fled to kochin and king asylum them . In 1568 near to the kochin king’s palace Samuel castier , David belila and Joseph levi build this synagogue . This is the current day pardeshi synagogue .
This synagogue was build by the malabar jews and the Sephardic jews . Sephardic jews are those jews who flew from portugal , spain and Netherland for religious persecution . This synagogue has lots of belgium gold designed chandeliers , brass railed pulpit and two golden pillars (this are the symbol of the solomon’s temple) . The floor is made of chines hand designed tiles . Upto 19 th century there were three types of jews in fort kochi , they are white sephardic jews , black malabar jews and the Meshuchraim types of jews (this are the slaves brought by the sephardim ). They have different priorities in the time of prayer .
Synagogue is the prayer place for the jews people . At the peak there were 2000 jews lived there . This is the oldest synagogue in the whole commonwealth where still people make religious practices . There was a 18 th century clock which still runs .
The pardeshi synagogue is opened between the 10 am and 6 pm and closed in saturday . The entry fees of the synagogue is 10 INR .
Holy cross chapel :
This is small in size but one of the oldest church situated in the way to the Mattenchury Palace in Fort kochi . It was established in the year 1550 .
Inside the church there is a holy cross and a small prayer room . After you enter this church you smell the oil lamps lit beside the holy cross . This are very old and traditional .
Every friday there was a special prayer .
St francis CSI :
This is one of the oldest church in India , build by the portuguese in the year 1503 . This is a white colored building and it is also the burial place of the famous explorer Vasco – da – gama in 1524 . Later his son taken the corpus to the Lisbon , Portugal . But still you can see the place inside the church where vasco – da – gama was burried .
Vasco – da gama and it’s fellow sailors build fort Emanuel in this place and build a small wooden church in this place . Later it was converted into stone church . When dutch come in this place in 1663 they destroyed all but somehow they relived this church .
When you entered the church on both the side you can see old hand made fan which moves horizontally . There has been beautiful chandeliers hanging from the roof . This building has pyramidal structure supported by the wooden beam and the roof was covered to tiles .
The church is opened between the 9 am – 5 pm and it is closed on sunday .
Santa cruz cathedral basilica :
This church is one of the oldest church in the whole India . Portuguese people named Dom Francisco de almeida laid the foundation stone in the year 1505 . This land was gifted by the kochin maharaja for helping to fight with the army of calicut . This church was totally completed in the year 1568 . Later when dutch comes in 1663 , they make serious damage to this church and it was rebuild in the year 1905 which is the current form .
The upper celing of the church is full of painting and there were small statues in the every arches inside the church . There is beautiful last supper painting of jesus just above the crucified Jesus . This cathedral is a tourist attraction and also a pilgrimage .
The church is opened between 10:30 – 1 pm and between 2:30 – 5 pm . Sunday is the prayer day and not for the tourists .
St peter and St paul’s Aurthodox syrian church :
This church is first build in the year 1867 by St Thomas . This church has been rebuild and destroyed several times and the last one is in 1980 . This church is also called the church of keralites and the Syrian followers are called “St thomas christians ” .
Officially in the google it was written that it opens between 6 – 6 :30 pm but local people say they are not very frequent and somedays open and somedays not .
Summary :
Fort kochi is the oldest part of the Kochin and it has been under the rule of colonies of Portuguese , dutch and British for almost 400 years . This is the main tourist hub of kochin city . 2000 years old jews settlement and 450 years old jews synagogue in the jews town is the special attraction . Fishing with the 500 years old chines net techniques are special in Fort Kochi . Fort kochi has one of the oldest churches in India . Spanish explorer Vas – co – da – gama was berried in a special place at the st francis church CSI but later moved to lisbon , portugal by his son . Rather than this there is numerous old churches , cemetery , chines fishing nets , palaces and the art exhibition .
