St Francis Church Kochi

St. Francis Church in Kochi, which finely exhibits Portuguese architecture, is believed to be one of a kind amongst all the European churches which were constructed in India. It was constructed in the 15th century by the Portuguese traders. Vasco-da-Gama, the famous explorer, was buried in this church when he died in 1524, on his third visit to India. His remains were moved to Lisbon after fourteen years but his gravestone is still present in the church.

The church when constructed initially was a small wooden structure. However, the Portuguese viceroy, Dom Francisco Almedia brought in the idea of renovating the church. As a result of this, it was reconstructed into a stony structure in 1516. St. Francis Church is famous for its simplicity housing a collection of wooden as well as cloth fans inside which function using ropes. The fans, along with the glass windows present in the entrance hall, compliment the ancient interiors of the church. There is an exquisite porch which is located at a height and is undoubtedly going to draw your attention along with the choir area and the bell tower.