Santa Cruz Cathedral, Kochi

The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica should be included in the itinerary of any tourist visiting Kochi. The cathedral is situated in Fort Kochi and is one of first churches in India. It ranks among the eight existing basilicas in the Country.

It is, of course, a heritage building and great care has been taken to preserve its originality by the Archaeological Department of India. The basilica is a superb combination of style, architecture and grandeur. It boasts to be one of the few buildings in the country that showcase gothic influence.

This was one of the few buildings that were saved from destruction when the Dutch invaders set about destroying the Catholic buildings. The building boasts of frescoes, murals and canvas paintings that tell the story of birth and death of Christ. The Church also has a replica of the Last Supper which is the main tourist attraction of the church.