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Marine Drive
Also called as Shanmugham Road, Marine Drive is a long gracefully curving road
along the buttressed seacoast of Kochi City. The view of the backwaters and the
harbor from here is really breathtaking.
The Walkway here, along the edge of the backwaters starting
from behind the Children's Park to the end of the Shanmugham Road, has become
popular with both locals and tourists. The 140-metre walkway is paved with black-dotted,
red-carpet ultra tiles. Cast-ironed, wooden benches, weather-proof seating on
ash grey tiles and the breeze blowing in, provide recreational relaxation. Film
music filters through the speakers fixed at the Renewable Energy Park, in the
walkway area behind the Park. Now there are two beautiful bridges along
the walkway.  At
the other end of the walkway, a number of country boats and motor boats
are parked which are available for rides in the backwaters.
At night, twinkling lights of ships anchored at the harbor
is beautiful. There are a number of buildings along the Marine Drive which
are good examples of modern architecture like Asoka Apartments, Taj Residency,
etc. The famous shopping centers GCDA complex and the Pioneer Towers at the
Marine Drive houses many showrooms and restaurants. The surrounding area
of the marine drive has become a favorite location for shooting sequences for
movies.
Jewish Synagogue at Mattancherry
 This
imposing structure was built in 1568 when the Jews settled in Mattancherry,
after their expulsion from the Rahabi. They built a clock tower and paved the
floor of the synagogue with 18th century hand painted willow pattern tiles
brought from China. Its most important relics are the impressive copper plates
recording King Bhaskara Ravi Varma's 4th century decree that guaranteed the
Jewish settlers domain over Cranganore (Kodungalore) as well as the Hebrew inscriptions
on stone slabs, great scrolls of the Old Testament etc. The Synagogue itself
is elaborately decorated with crystal chandeliers and carved wood with blue
and white ceramic tiles. Located in Jew town, Mattancherry, the synagogue is
open from 10 am to 12 noon; 3 pm to 5pm and closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
Dutch Palace, Mattancherry
Built by the Portuguese in the middle of the 16th century, this
palace was taken over in 1663 by the Dutch, who added some improvements before
presenting it to the Rajas of Cochin. The rajas also made more improvements.
The palace is notable for some of the best mythological murals in India, particularly
in the bed chambers. In that room one can see the entire story of Ramayana on
the walls. The palace also houses Dutch maps of Old Kochi, royal palanquins,
coronation robes of former maharajas of Kochi and displays an example of traditional
Kerala flooring, which looks like polished black marble but is actually
a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites. It
is situated at Palace Road, Mattancherry. Open to Tourists - Saturday to Thursday
from 10 am - 5 pm, Closed on Fridays and National holidays. More
details...
 Chinese
fishing nets, Fort Kochi Beach
Chinese traders from the court of Kublai Khan are believed to have introduced
these huge cantilevered fishing nets in the late14th century. The nets are built
of teak wood and bamboo poles. They can best be seen at sunset, on the north
end of the promontory, a few metres from Fort Kochi, or from a boat tour of
the harbour. Vasco da Gama square just behind the nets is an idle place
to sit and savour the delicious seafood freshly caught in the nets, catered
by the stalls here.
The Bishops House
Built by the Portuguese in A.D.1506 as residence of the Portuguese governor, Bishop
house is the oldest Catholic Dioceses in India located near the Parade ground,
Fort Kochi. A prominent heritage of Fort Kochi, it is characterised by large arches
in Gothic Style and has circular garden path winding up to the main entrance.
The building was acquired by Dome Jos Gomes Ferreira, the 27th Bishop of the Diocese
of Cochin whose jurisdiction extended over Burma, Malaya and Ceylon in addition
to India. Inside the Bishop's house there is a parlour room with large walls.
These walls are painted in bright colours-telling the arrival of Portuguese, the
origin of Christianity in Kerala and the establishment of the Diocese. The Indo
Portuguese Museum within the palace compound has some historically significant
invaluable collections. There is also the dinning area, known as Dr. Mario Sorais
Hall, senate hall, teak staircase, large attics, collection of Portuguese maps,
small collection of antiques and the other historic materials preserved here.
The Cochin Club
Formerly known as the English Club, this club stretches majestically between
the Fort Cochin Commandant's house and the ancient Governor's residence. The
club with its high roofs and arch styled windows is housed in a beautifully
landscaped park and has an impressive library and a collection of sporting trophies.
In the early19th century when the club was established by the British, admission
was restricted to them and men only. Today its rules are more liberal
and the membership of 250 includes women as well.
Bastion Bungalow
Bastion Bungalow is an architectural splendor, which was built
in 1667 in the Indo - European style. It was constructed on what has been considered
the Dutch Stromberg Bastion. This building blends beautifully into the circular
structure of the bastion. It has a tiled roof and a typical first floor verandah
in wood along its front portion. Noticeable mainly because of its Dutch style
architecture and built into the ramparts of a massive fortification wall, it
immediately arouses the curiosity of the passer-by. A name plaque on one side
of the wall announces that it is the Sub-Collector's residence. It had a brush
with glamour when it was hired out to a Hollywood film unit, 'Cotton Mary',
which is a Merchant-Ivory production. Bastion Bungalow is located at the end
of Church Road in Fort Kochi and it has been declared a protected monument by
the State Archaeology Department.
Koder House
Constructed by 1808 by Jewish patriarch Samuel Koder of the
Cochin Electric Company, this magnificent building is an example of the hybrid
Indo-European style that developed in Cochin. Unique features of the Koder house
are verandah seats at the entrance, interior floor tiles set in a chessboard
pattern, red coloured brick like facade, a collection of wood carved furniture
and a quaint wooden bridge running over Rose Lane onto a separate structure
across the street are all unique to this house. This house was occupied by the
family of Mr. Satu Koder, regarded as the patriarch of Cochin's ancient Jewish
community. Now this three -storeyed building has been converted into a heritage
boutique hotel.
Contact
Koder House, Tower Road, Fort Cochin, Cochin-682 001
Phone: +91 484 2218485,
Fax: +91 484 2217988
E-mail : Contact
Now
Thakur House
One of the many historical landmarks of Fort Kochi, Thakur House was earlier known
as Kunal or Hill Bungalow. It was built on the site of the sea facing Gelderland
Bastion, (one of the seven bastions of the old Dutch fort) in the late 1700s.
With graceful lines reflecting the leisurely lifestyle of the colonial era, it
exudes a quiet grandeur. Nestled amidst neatly manicured lawns, Thakur House is
isolated from the noise and bustle of the nearby Chinese Fishing Nets and Fort
Kochi bus stop. Thakur House sports several trademarks of Dutch architecture,
with its wooden floors, spacious rooms and large bay windows. Sparkling crystal
and earthen pottery adorn tables and shelves, and ancient glass lamps hang from
the rafters. It is an art-lover's paradise, for several paintings, decorates the
walls of the rooms. But, the most beautiful scenery of all lies right outside
the window - the Arabian Sea stretching away to the horizon. There have been instances
when it served maritime operations and military defense purposes against invaders.
Hence the secret tunnels that lie beneath the house. Today, the Bungalow belongs
to Ram Bahadur Thakur and Company, the renowned tea-trading firm.
Fort Immanuel
The fort built in 1503 was symbolic of the strategic alliance between the
Maharaja of Cochin and the Ruler of Portugal. By 1806, the Dutch, and later
the British, had destroyed most of the fort walls and its bastions. The remains
of this bastion of the Portuguese in Cochin can bee seen along the beach.
 Pierce
Leslie Bungalow
Founded in 1862, this elegant colonial mansion was the office of the coffee
merchants, the Pierce Leslie and Company. The structure is a blend of
Portuguese, Dutch and the native building style. The mansion has arched
doorways, wood panels on the roof of the ground floor, carved doors, sprawling
rooms and waterfront verandahs.
| The
Dutch Cemetery |
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The Dutch Cemetery is a mute, yet sublimely eloquent, testimony to the period
of once thriving European community at Fort Cochin. The cemetery which is mostly
in ruins was consecrated in 1724. It is now managed by the Church of South India.
Vasco House
Built in the sixteenth century, Vasco House is believed to have been the
residence of Vasco Da Gama, the first European to reach the Kerala shores. It
is one of the oldest Portuguese residences in Fort Cochin. The straight lines
of the balcony-cum-verandah with a series of typical European glass-paned windows
are characteristics of the European era in Cochin.
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