Bible Tower, Thrissur Overview

Being the tallest church tower in Asia which can be seen from anywhere in the town, the Bible Tower is located in Thrissur, Kerala. With a height of around 260 feet, the structure was inaugurated on 7th January 2007. Dr Pedro Lopez Quintana, reverend dedicated the tower for world peace. One of the most sacred places present in Thrissur, the Bible Tower stands proudly at around 260 feet tower behind two towers with a height of 140 feet each. Not only that, this structure has also been certified as an earthquake-proof structure by the officials of the Geology Department.

The building has been adorned with a lit red cross on the top which is proudly symbolic of the presence of the Roman Catholic Church in the Thrissur city. The childhood of Jesus Christ has been exquisitely carved in wood and his healing being displayed in stained glass. Attractive paintings of apostles in terra cotta, special oil paintings which show the sufferings of Jesus Christ and miracles of Christ demonstrated in brass are enough to captivate the visitors.

History of Bible Tower

Mar Francis Vazhappilly, who was the late Bishop of Thrissur, laid down the foundation of the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours on 21st December 1929. There is a bell tower in the back of the church which reaches the height of 260 feet or 79.248 meters. Famous artists from all over the country have put in their best of works in the Bible Tower. The reconstruction of the bell tower began in 2002 after the Bishop of Thrissur Mar Andrews Thazhath became the rector of the Basilica. The tower was blessed by Cardinal Daud Moosa in the name of 'Bible Tower' when all the bishops of India were present in Thrissur for the CBCI General Assembly in 2004.

Architecture of Bible Tower

The childhood of Jesus Christ can be seen carved in the wood with his healing showcased in the stained glass and his miracles in brass, his sufferings depicted using oil paints. In addition to this, there are beautiful paintings of apostles in terra cotta, fresco paintings of the life history of St. Thomas and the rebirth of Lord Jesus shown on the canvas. The bible tower was dedicated to world peace by Dr Pedro Lopez Quintana. There is a passenger life present in the church which goes up to 48.768 meters or 160 feet where a viewer's platform is present that can accommodate 250 people. To reach the top of the tower, the viewers are required to climb the steps from here. One can view the entire city over an area of 18 kilometres from the top of the tower.

Best Time To Visit Bible Tower

The best time to visit the place is during winters, i.e. from October to March if the climate is to be considered. However, the Bible Tower is also worth visiting during April or May when the famous Pooram festival is celebrated with great grandeur and spectacle.

How To Reach Bible Tower

The nearest private bus stand to the tower is the Shaktan Thampuran Bus Stand which is situated 1.2 km away and takes only 5 minutes to reach the tower from here by driving. Another option is the KSRTC Bus Stand situated at a distance of 1.6 km which can be reached in 10 minutes via driving.