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Cochin
Travel Guide
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.
Places
to Visit: Cochin 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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