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Cochin Vacations
Cochin Vacations
A leisurely walk through the city is the best way to discover historic Fort
Kochi. An obscure fishing village that became the first European township in
India, Kochi has an eventful and colourful history.
Its reputation as a seafaring commercial town was such that Nicolas Conti, an
Italian traveller of the Middle Ages remarked: If China is where you make your
money, then Kochi surely
is the place to spend it.
The town was shaped by the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British. The
result of these cultural influences are seen in the many examples of Indo European
architecture that still exist here.
Chinese Fishing Nets/Vasco da Gama Square :
These huge cantilevered fishing nets are the legacy of one of the first visitors
to the Malabar Coast. Erected here between 1350 and 1450 AD by traders from
the court of Kublai Khan, these nets are set up on teak wood and bamboo poles.
The best place to watch the nets being lowered into the sea and catch being
brought in is the Vasco da Gama Square, a narrow promenade that runs along the
beach. The Square is an ideal place to idle, with stalls serving fresh delicious
seafood, tender coconut etc.
Pierce Leslie Bungalow:
This charming mansion was the office of Pierce Leslie & Co., coffee merchants,
founded in 1862. A representative of the Fort Kochi colonial bungalow, this
building reflects Portuguese, Dutch and local influences. Characteristic features
are wood panels that form the roof of the ground floor, arched doorways, carved
doors and sprawling rooms. Waterfront verandahs are an added attraction.
Old Harbour House:
This elegant old bungalow built in 1808 is in the possession of Carrit Moran
& Co., renowned tea brokers, who now use it as their residence. The house
was once a boat club.
Koder House:
This magnificent building constructed by Samuel S. Koder of The Cochin Electric
Company in 1808 is a supreme example of the transition from colonial to Indo-European
architecture. Features like verandah seats at the entrance, floor tiles set
in a chess board pattern, red coloured brick like facade, carved wood furniture
and a wooden bridge connecting to a separate structure across the street are
all unique to this bungalow.
St. Francis Church:
Built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars, this is India’s oldest European
church. This was initially built of timber and later reconstructed in stone
masonry. It was restored in 1779 by the Protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican
church by the British in 1795 and is at present governed by the Church of South
India. Vasco da Gama was buried here in 1524 before his remains were moved to
Lisbon, Portugal. The tombstone still remains.
Loafer’s Corner/Princess Street:
One of the earliest streets to be constructed in Fort Kochi, Princess Street
with its European style residences still retains its old world charm. The best
view of this quaint street can be had from Loafer’s Corner, the traditional
meeting place and hangout of the jovial funloving people of the area.
Vasco House:
Believed to have been the residence of Vasco da Gama, this is one of the oldest
Portuguese residences in Fort Kochi. Built in the early sixteenth century, Vasco
House sports the typical European glass paned windows and balcony cum verandahs
characteristic of the times.
VOC Gate:
The large wooden gate facing the Parade Ground, with the monogram (VOC) of the
once mighty Dutch East India Company carved on it, was built in 1740. Parade
Ground: The four acre Parade Ground was where once the Portuguese, the Dutch
and the British colonists conducted their military parades and drills. The buildings
around the ground housed their defence establishments. Today, the largest open
ground in Fort Kochi, the Parade Ground is a sports arena.
The Dutch Cemetery:
The tomb stones here are the most authentic record of the hundreds of Europeans
who left their homeland on a mission to expand their colonial empires and changed
the course of history of this land. The cemetery was consecrated in 1724 and
is today managed by the Church of South India.
Thakur House:
This graceful building holds within itself a reflection of the colonial era.
The Bungalow was built on the site of the Gelderland Bastion, one of the seven
bastions of the old Dutch fort. Earlier known as Kunal or Hill Bungalow, it
was home to the managers of the National Bank of India during the British reign.
Today, the Bungalow belongs to Ram Bahadur Thakur and Company, the renowned
tea trading firm.
David Hall:
Though built around 1695 by the Dutch East India Company, David Hall gets its
name from one of its later occupants, David Koder, a Jewish businessman. The
Hall was originally associated with Hendrik Adriaan van Reed tot Drakestein,
renowned Dutch commander better known for his Hortus Malabaricus, a pioneering
compilation of the flora of the Malabar Coast.
The Cochin Club:
The club, with its impressive library and collection of sporting trophies, is
housed in a beautifully landscaped park. In the early 1900s, when the club had
just become operational, admission was restricted to the British and to men
only. Today, though the club retains its traditional English ambience, its rules
are more liberal and the membership of 250 includes women as well. Strangely
enough, alcohol is not served on the premises.
Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) (Open 1000 - 1700 hrs. Closed on Fridays):
Built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of
Kochi, the palace was renovated in 1663 by the Dutch. On display here are beautiful
murals depicting scenes from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and some of
the Puranic Hindu legends. The palace also houses Dutch maps of old Kochi, royal
palanquins, coronation robes of former maharajas of Kochi as well as period
furniture.
Cherai Beach:
This lovely beach bordering Vypeen island is ideal for swimming. Dolphins are
occasionally seen here. A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut
groves nearby is an added attraction.
Bolghatty Island:
This island is famous for its palace of the same name. The Bolghatty Palace
was built in 1744 by the Dutch and later taken over by the British. Today it
is a hotel run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, with a small golf
course and special honeymoon cottages.
Willingdon Island:
Named after Lord Willingdon, a former British Viceroy of India, this man-made
island is surrounded by beautiful backwaters. The island is the site of the
city's best hotels and trading centres, the Port Trust and the headquarters
of the southern naval command.
The Hill Palace Museum, Thripunithura (Open 0900 -1230 hrs; 1400 - 1630 hrs.
Closed on Mondays):
10 km from Kochi, Hill Palace, the official residence of the erstwhile Kochi
royal family, was built in 1865. The palace complex consists of 49 buildings
in the traditional architectural style of Kerala and is surrounded by 52 acres
of terraced land with a deer park and facilities for horse riding. A full-fledged
ethno-archaeological museum and Kerala's first ever heritage museum are the
main attractions. Displayed inside the thirteen galleries are oil paintings,
19th century paintings, murals, sculptures in stone and plaster of Paris, manuscripts,
inscriptions and coins belonging to the royal family.
Parikshith Thampuran Museum:
This museum houses a collection of coins, bronzes, copies of murals and megalithic
relics of Kerala.
Vamanamoorthy Temple:
Inscriptions from the 10th to the 13th century are found in this temple in Thrikakkara,
near Ernakulam.
Santhanagopala-Krishnaswamy Temple:
he original foundation of this temple was laid in 947 AD according to the inscriptions
found here.
Cochin Vacations, Kerala Places to Visit
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