 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. Cochin is the oldest European settlement in India,recording
a history of visitors who came, saw and stayed for hundreds of years.
Layered impressions - Chinese, Arab, Jewish, British, French and Portuguese,
are contained within its environment.
The commercial capital of Kerala
and the most cosmopolitan of the state's cities,Cochin has long been eulogised
in tourist literature as the “ Queen of the Arabian Sea” with ferry rides
commanding its breathtaking view.
Cruise around man-made islands
with lush green lawns sloping down to the water's edge. Giant Chinese
fishing nets that billow from massive teak and bamboo poles dot the entrance
to the harbour. Silhouetted against the setting sun, they present a magnificent
sight at the waterfront.Kochi is the arguably the ideal starting point
for exploring the unfathomable diversity and beauty of Kerala, rated in
the top three tourist destinations by the World Travel & Tourism Council
and featured in National Geographic Traveler's '50 greatest places of
a lifetime'.
Main
attractions around Cochin :
 Jewish Synagogue :
The synagogue, built in 1568, is magnificently decorated
by Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers. Giant scrolls of the Old Testament
can be found here. It is located near the Dutch Palace. Built in A D 1568.
Great scrolls of the Old Testament (Bible) and copper plates in which
the grants of privilege to Jews from Cochin rulers were carved are preserved
here.
St.
Francis Church : It is the oldest church built
by Europeans in India. On his 3rd visit to Kerala, Vasco De Gama, the
legendary navigator from Lisbon, died at Kochi during his second voyage
to Kerala. He was laid to rest in the St. Francis Church on Christmas
eve 1524. Years later, his mortal remains were taken back to Portugal.
The sepulcher is still preserved in the church hall and is open for visitors.
Vasco House : Believed to have been the residence
of Vasco da Gamma, this is one of the oldest Portuguese residence of Fort
Cochin. Built in the early 16th century Vasco House sports the typical
European glass paned windows and Balcony cum Verandas characteristic of
the times.
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.
 Santa
Cruz Basilica: The original church, situated
in Fort Kochi, was built by the Portuguese in 1505 and named as a cathedral
in 1558. The British colonists destroyed the cathedral in 1795. The current
structure was built in 1905 and raised to the status of a basilica by
Pope John Paul II in 1984.
Bolghatty Palace :
Built by the Dutch in 1744, this palace is on an
island, off Cochin in the Arabian Sea. Earlier Dutch and later British
used the palace as Governor's residence. Today, Kerala Tourism Development
Corporation has transformed the palace into a tourist hotel. A canopied
garden is another tourist attraction on The island.
Museum
of Kerala History: Situated 18 Kms from Cherai. The
Museum of Kerala History is at Edapally on the way to Aluva. It is the
best place to have a quick glimpse of Kerala's history. A statue of
Parasurama, the sage who is said to have created Kerala, greets the
visitors.Life size figures depict important landmarks of civilization
from the Neolithic age to the modern era. There is an excellent narration
of Kerala history in the past 2000 years. This 'live' Museum is not
just a retelling of the past but is a Light and Sound show of three-dimensional
visuals. The light and sound shows take place in the following timings:
10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30 12:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00 15:30, 16:00 The
museum remains closed on Mondays and Public holidays.
Chottanikkara Temple : Chottanikkara temple located
20 kms east of Cochin, is dedicated to Bhagawati - the mother Goddess.
The deity is worshipped in three different forms - as Saraswati in the
morning, draped in white; as Bhadrakali at noon, draped in crimson;
and as Durga in the evening, decked in blue.
Thrikkakara Temple : The
Thrikkakara temple, located 10 kms north-east of Kochi, is considered
to be the seat of famous 10 days Onam celebrations in Kerala. Thrikkakara
is considered to be capital of the good asura (demon) King Mahabali,
whose rule was prematurely stopped by Lord Vishnu in the diguise as
a Brahmin boy, when the Hindu gods became jealous of the growing power
of the generous and kind-hearted king. The Vishnu temple here is the
only one of its kind to have Vamana (one of the incarnations of Lord
Vishnu) as the deity.
 Veega
Land : Veega Land is South India's
largest amusement park situated 14kms from Cochin. The park includes
a range of attractions including mini castles, water theme park, ferris
wheel, rides, slides, shows and fountains. Kids and adults alike can
enjoy the fun and activities.A tour to Veegaland Kerala offers unlimited
fun and frolic.Veegaland in Kerala has 26 thrilling water slides, dancing
musical fountain, floral gardens, beautiful promenades, 3 delightful
restaurants and a wave pool. Ride various exhilarating water rides.
Visitors are welcomed to the amusement park by Ammu, a baby elephant.
Veegaland Amusement Park is perfect for family getaways
Hill
Palace Museum : This museum showcases
wealth and prosperity of erstwhile royal family of Cochin. including
the king's throne and crown. Also on display are other trappings of
royalty like majestic beds, paintings,carvings and samples of epigraphy.
Tripunithura is also known for the nearby Chottanikkara Temple and the
Tripunithura Temple. Location: 13km off Kochi
Mattancherry
Palace : Also known as Dutch Palace. Built
by Portuguese and handed over to Cochin Raja in 1555 AD and the was
renamed as Mattancheri Palace in 1663, when the Dutch spruced up the
palace. However, neither the Portuguese nor the Dutch stayed in the
palace.The centre of the building has a Coronation Hall where Cochin
Rajas investitures were held. Today, it is a portrait gallery of the
Rajas. Rooms adjacent display 17th century murals depicting scenes from
the epic,Ramayana.
Location : Eranakulam. Open for visitors. 10 am to 5 pm Closed on Fridays,
national holidays.
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