About Fort Kochi
About 13 kilometers from Ernakulam is Fort Kochi where the paved roads are lined with beautiful and well-preserved colonial structures originally built by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British who inhabited the area in the days of yore.
A journey becomes extraordinary when certain places teleports one to an era and time so distinctive that one wishes coming back wasn’t an option. Fort Kochi is beyond a traveler’s imagination filled with colonial edifices, vibrant streets and long withstanding culture and past. This fort marks the treaty for commercial purposes between the Maharaja of Cochin and a Portuguese emperor. A part of region was then built by the Portuguese, which was known as Fort Immanuel. This Fort was then sabotaged by the Dutch, but the legacy remained. The Portuguese Church was re-erected again in 1516 as a lasting structure, in present times it is known as the St Francis Church. Many of these structures are historically significant and would make for great photographic subjects such as the Santa Cruz Bascillica.
Kochi was under the reign of the Portuguese for around 160 years before the Dutch took over it for a century and was finally captured by the British. So the place has an incessant influence of three major colonies and this can be dominantly witnessed through the style and design of the Fort. Travelers can visit the ancient Dutch Cemetery built in 1724, Princess Street where one can visually savor the beauty of colonial residences and the Church Road near the Arabian Sea which is just made for brooding travelers. The Portuguese Bishop’s house, Loafer’s Corner, Bastion Bungalow and the Parade Ground are one of the most significant storytellers of the diverse European cultures.
Fort Kochi is also frequented for its several vintage shops and its iconic traditional fishing nets the silhouettes of which look stunning against the setting sun.
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Location & Places to Visit on Fort Kochi Map
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Places to Visit near Fort Kochi
Chinese Fishing Nets, Kerala
0.2 km from Fort Kochi - See map
Catching the setting sun, these Chinese Fishing Nets frame many a Cochi postcard. The nets stand on the beach; bamboo and teak poles help lower...
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St. Francis' Church, Kerala
0.2 km from Fort Kochi - See map
St. Francis Church, in Fort Kochi is a beautiful church that stands white and proud in its red courtyard with the backdrop of green palm trees...
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Indo-Portuguese Museum, Kerala
0.7 km from Fort Kochi - See map
The Indo-Portuguese Museum situated in Fort Kochi throws light on the strong Portuguese influence in both the art and the architecture of the...
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Mattancherry Palace, Kerala
1.5 km from Fort Kochi - See map
The highlight of Mattancherry Palace or the Dutch Palace is the carved ceilings and murals inside. It was built by Portuguese to be presented...
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Jewish Synagogue, Kerala
3.2 km from Fort Kochi - See map
The synagogue in Kochi is the oldest synagogue in the commonwealth; it dates back to 1568.Cochin has an interesting history of Jewish emigration....
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Paradesi Synagogue, Kerala
6.4 km from Fort Kochi - See map
The oldest active synagogue in India, the Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi is home to many interesting objects of antiquity including the Scrolls of...
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Willingdon Island, Kerala
10.2 km from Fort Kochi - See map
Accessible by road and Railway Bridge, Willingdon Island contains the modern port that today links it with other seaports. The port was used by...
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Marine Drive, Kochi, Kerala
14 km from Fort Kochi - See map
Marine Drive in Kochi is a popular promenade , especially thronged by the locals in the evenings.Though called a drive yet vehicles are not...
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Bolgatty Palace, Kerala
18 km from Fort Kochi - See map
The Bolgatty Palace on Bolghatty Island in Ernakulam’s twin city of Kochi is one of the oldest and most historical Dutch buildings in India. It...
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Chottanikkara, Kerala
23.1 km from Fort Kochi - See map
Chottanikkara is an attractive village in the district of Ernakulam. It is famous for the Chottanikkara Bhagavathi temple where Rajarajeswari...
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Cochin Backwaters, Kerala
23.9 km from Fort Kochi - See map
The backwaters. Few tourists come to Kerala without viewing life as seen from the rivers. The air drifts over water ripples. Coconut trees wave....
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Museum of Art and Kerala History, Kerala
24.5 km from Fort Kochi - See map
Catch the museum when it’s open: 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm. The museum is closed on Mondays. The museum boasts of a light and sound show as...
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