Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica

The Santa Cruz Basilica is renowned for its stunning architectural style, which blends elements of Portuguese, Dutch, and Indo-European architecture. The church features a magnificent facade with twin spires, intricate carvings, and a whitewashed exterior.

The history of Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica dates back to the sixteenth century and begins with the arrival of Portuguese missionaries in 1500 CE. The construction works started when the first Portuguese Viceroy Dom Francisco de Almeida got permission from the Cochin Raja to build a church.

Saint Francis Church, in Fort Kochi, Kochi, originally built in 1503, is one of the oldest European churches in India and has historical significance as a witness to the European colonial ambitions in the subcontinent. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524 when he was on his third visit to India.