The Fort Kochi is named after Fort Emmanuel which was in the later years destroyed by the Dutch. The Portuguese built their settlement behind the fort along with a wooden church which is presently known as the St. Francis Church. The Fort Kochi is one of the prime pilgrimage destinations to be visited in India. The landscapes of this place feature a mix of old Dutch, Portuguese and British houses. Some of the prime pilgrimage centers present in Fort Kochi include:
St. Francis Church:
This ancient church was built by the Portuguese in the year 1503 and is also popular as the place where Vasco-da-Gama was once buried. Presently the church compound is being used as a Catholic church by the South India and is also being preserved as one of the national monuments of India.
Santa Cruz Basilica Church:
The Santa Cruz Basilica church is a renowned catholic church which was also built by the Portuguese in 1500. Later the church was elevated to a cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558. Later the cathedral building was destroyed by the British and in its place Bishop Dom Gomez Vereira commissioned a new building in 1887. The structure was rebuilt by during the end of the 19th century. The holy Santa Cruz was proclaimed as a Basilica by the Pope John Paul II in 1984. It makes for one of the must visit pilgrimage center present in Fort Kochi as it is an important center of historical significance. The church building is admired for its artistic and architectural grandeur.
St. Marys Cathedral:
St. Marys Cathedral located in Fort Kochi was originally founded in 1112 AD. The cathedral is dedicated to “Our Lady of Ports” the cathedral was built in the early 20th century under the direction of Mar Louis Pazheparambil. The church building was proclaimed with the status of a Basilica by Pope Paul VI on 20th March 1974. This beautiful church is one of the most important Marian Pilgrim centers present in the Kerala region of India.
Paradesi Synagogue:
The Paradesi Synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues which was built in the year 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people. The historic monument is also popularly known as Mattancherry Synagogue and Cochin Jewish Synagogue. The synagogue is located in the quarter of old Cochin known as Jew Town. This synagogue is one of the seven synagogues located in the area which are still being used. The Mattancherry synagogue and the Mattancherry Palace temple shares a common wall as the temple is built adjacent to the synagogue which is built on the land gifted to Malabari Yehuden community by Rama Verma, the Raja of Kochi.