Ernakulam Things to Do

I personally, felt the synagogue is the highlight of tourist attraction in Fort Kochi. If you are a person with great interest in hand painted tiles, colorful glass lamps etc, you can still be awed in this small space.

The historical fact associated with this place and the Jewish community may interest you as well. Don't forget to enter the small room near entrace to get a glimpse of root of the Jewish community in Kerala.

A surprising place to find a synagogue, but history tells that Jews came to India many centuries ago.

This synagogue built in 1568 is the oldest in the Commonwealth. You can find here mid-18th century hand painted willow patterned floor tiles from Canton in China, a clock tower, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, great scrolls of the Old Testament, ancient scripts on copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the erstwhile Cochin rulers were recorded

Not necessarily an impressive place, but has a historic siginificance. St.Francis 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. You can enter inside the church and meditate.

Also known as Mattancherry Palace, it was built in 1557 by the Portugese as a gift to Cochin Raja. Renovated by the Dutch in 1663, the palace has been converted into an art museum today. The best exhibition they have here is murals adoring the walls. The murals here are well preserved and illustrate Hindu deities and scenes from the Ramayana epic.

The hill palace located in Thripunitra is an official residence of Cochin royal family. Built in 1865, the palace consists of more than 40 buildings splawing around 52 acres of land. The portion of complex is turned into museums today, housing belongins of royal family, pieces from wooden architecture, statues, paintings etc.

The place is on obvious decline today; however, if you have a half day to spare, it's worth a visit. Plan to spend about two hours strolling around the complex.