Kerala
Tourist Place in Cochin
| Location: | Cochin, Kerala, India |
| Temperature: | Summer: 35°C,36°C; Winter:20°C, 19.81°C |
| STD Code: | 0484 |
| Best Times: | September to April |
| Attractions: | Mattancherry Palace, Chinese Fishing Nets, St. Francis Church |
| Language: | Malayalam ,English, Hindi |
Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)
The Dutch palace was built by the Portuguese in the year 1557. This Palace was presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi (Cochin). The palace was renovated in 1663 by the Dutch. In the palace there are beautiful Murals depicting scenes from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata and some of the puranic Hindu legends. It also contains Dutch maps of old Kochi, royal palanquins, coronation robes of former Maharajas of Kochi as well as the furniture belonging to that period.
Chinese Fishing Nets
Chinese Fishing Nets are the icon of Cochin sea trade. It is situated at the tip of Cochin Fort, The fishing nets like these are not found anywhere else in India. This Chinese fishing nets are very famous in cochin.
St. Francis Church
One of the famous church in Cochin was St. Francis Church. This church was built in the year 1503 by Portuguese Francisan Friars, this Church is known to be the oldest European church in India. It was restored in 1779 by the protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican Church by the British in 1795. It is presently under the church of South India. Vasco da Gama's remains were buried here in 1524 and later moved to Lisbon, Portugal but his tombstone is still here.
Cherai Beach
The cherai beach is a nice beach bounded at Vypeen Island which is suitable for swimming. Dolphins are occasionally seen here. There are a couple of simple cafes and guesthouses too. A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves nearby is an added attraction of this beach.
The Hill Palace Museum
The Hill Palace Museum is situated at 10 km away from cochin. It is an official residence of erstwhile Kochi royal family. It was built in the year 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. It contains 19th century paintings, murals, sculptures in stone and plaster of Paris, manuscripts, inscriptions and coins belonging to the royal family.
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