Location: About 13 km from Ernakulam town.
Welcome to a 60-90 minute walking tour of the old streets of Fort Kochi. This
is the ideal way to discover a historic town brimming with tales of myriad seafaring
visitors who came here to trade and then stayed on to cease their work on this
impressionable land. 'Walking through Fort Cochin' is a tour organised as part
of the conservation and development initiatives taken up by the Corporation
of Kochi.
The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw
open the estuary at Kochi, till then a land locked region, turning it into one
of the finest natural harbours in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring
visitors from all over the world and became the first European township in India
when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.
The Dutch wrested Fort Kochi from the Portuguese in AD 1663 and later in the
last phase of the colonial saga, the British took over, the town in 1795. During
1660's, Fort Kochi peaked in stature as a prime commercial centre and its fame
spread far and wide - variously as a rich trade centre, a major military base,
a vibrant cultural hub, a great ship building centre, a centre for Christianity
and so on. Today, centuries later, the city is home to nearly thirteen communities.
A few interesting sites included in the tour are the Chinese fishing nets along
the Vasco Da Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica, St.Francis Church, VOC Gate,
Bastion Bungalow etc. Apart from these architectural splendours, an array of
restaurants serving fresh seafood are also popular among tourists.
The Chinese fishing nets erected on teak wood and bamboo poles work on the principle
of balance. Records say they were first set up here between AD 1350 and 1450.
Vasco Da Gama Square, the narrow promenade that parallels the beach, is the
best place to watch the nets being lowered and pulled out of the sea.
The Santa Cruz Basilica, a church built originally by the Portuguese and elevated
to a Cathedral by Pope Paul 1V in 1558, was spared by the Dutch conquerors who
destroyed many Catholic buildings. Later the British demolished the structure
and Bishop Dom Gomez Vereira commissioned a new building in 1887. Consecrated
in 1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a Basilica by the Pope John Paul II in 1984.
Fort Kochi is also home to one of India's oldest churches - the St.Francis Church.
This was a Roman Catholic Church during the Portuguese rule from 1503 to 1663,
then a Dutch Reformist Church from 1664 to 1804, and Anglican church from 1804
to 1947. Today it is governed by the Church of South India (CSI). Another important
fact about the church is that Vasco Da Gama, who died in 1524, was buried here
before his mortal remains were returned to Portugal 14 years later... Each and
every structure, street, door, window and brick in Fort Kochi has several stories
to tell.
Getting there : Fort Kochi is accessible by bus or ferry. The bus ride from
Ernakulam town, which is nearly 13 km away, takes about an hour and the ferry
ride from Main boat jetty at Ernakulam about 20 minutes.
Nearest railway station : Ernakulam about 1 1/2 km from the Main boat jetty.
Nearest airport : Cochin International Airport, about 20 km
Interested
? Book Tour through our Members
