Ernakulam Tourism - Commercial Capital of Kerala

The history of this shrine is linked with the history of the city. The present structure of the Ernakulam Shiva Temple was constructed in the midst of the 19th century by royal Cochin rulers. The legend of this temple relates with Arjuna, the third Pandava ruler of the epic Mahabharata. Once Arjuna got into a battle with lord Shiva, who was testing his devotion in the guise of a Kirata or a tribal. After being defeated by the tribal, Arjuna made a Shiva linga in mud and started praying....

Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple is a standout amongst the most mainstream temples in the state. As for the temple design, this construction emerges to be an extreme testimonial for the antiquated Vishwakarma sthapathis in comparison alongside Sabarimala. Lord Shiva is likewise worshiped at the temple. Individuals experiencing emotional instabilities visit here. Goddess Bhagavathy, prevalently known as Raja Rajeswari is the directing divinity. The present structure of the temple was believed to be built in the 10th century....

Chinese fishing nets are synonymous to the history of Kochi because of its presence before global architectural icons such as the Taj Mahal, Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Sydney Opera House etc. Introduced by the Portuguese in the early 14th century, they form an integral part of Kochi’s landscape. Interestingly, each part of the net is still known by its Portuguese name— Kalasandhi, Bolsa, Othara, Bras, Savaya, Arolla, Arasa, Armusan etc....

St. Francis Church is India’s oldest European church that had its initial construction in 1503 by the Portuguese, dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The journey to Cochin by Portuguese traders with their Admiral Pedro Alvarez de Cabral was easy as they just had to follow the path of their legendary explorer Vasco da Gama, who landed at Calicut in 1498. They first made a construction with mud and wood only. In the year 1506, they received permission from the Cochin rulers to reconstruct it with stones. The reconstruction was in 1516 and they dedicated the new church to St. Antony....

The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, which is more than 500 years old, has an eventful past going back to the arrival of the Portuguese in 1500. As a token of gratitude for the help they rendered in defeating the Zamorins of Calicut, the erstwhile king of Cochin gave a piece of land to the Portuguese to set up a fort. Later in 1505, permission was granted to the first Portuguese viceroy Dom Francisco de Almeida to build the church. In 1558, Pope Paul IV honoured the church to the status of a cathedral....

Mattancherry is an old neighborhood of Kochi full of colonial buildings. We can’t find it fascinating without getting into its history. Mattancherry Palace was constructed in 1555 by the Portuguese rulers as compensation to the ruler of Cochin kingdom for their trade relationship. The Dutch rulers took over the Kingdom from the Portuguese and did some modifications to it. From that time, it began to be known as Dutch Palace. Later it came under the rule of the British East India Company....

Once an enclave for Jews, the Jews street is now feeble in their population of that community who left for Israel. The star of David inscribed variegated arches wear a work out look. The marvellous blue and green facades stand faded. The spice shops and curio souks so interestingly developed by Jews are still thriving in the market road. Jew Town is one of the oldest settlements in the country dating back to the 16th century, when the rulers of Cochin allotted a piece of land for the Jews for their livelihood along with trade....

Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi, also known as Jewish Synagogue (or) Mattancherry Synagogue is famous for being the oldest existing synagogue amid commonwealth countries. The Malabar Jews did a prosperous trade with Cochin rulers and they controlled a major portion of worldwide spice trade. Constructed in 1568, it is one of seven synagogues of the Malabar Yehuda people (Cochin Jewish community) in the Kingdom of Cochin....

The official capital of the kingdom of Cochin was located previously in Thrissur and the royal office of Maharaja as well as the court were all located in the city. However, it was due to the ritualistic customs, the seat of Queen of Cochin had matrilineal traditions and the queen was regarded as sovereign of the state under whose authority the king ruled. From 1755, the queen and her retinue lived in Tripunithura, thereby making the city as the official capital. One such king Rama Varma was raised in Tripunithura, thereby preferring to live in the city even after coronation as king, rather moving to Thrissur....

Kerala Museum, also known as museum of Kerala history, this Museum was the brainchild of Mr. Madhavan Nayar, the late managing trustee of the Madhavan Nayar Foundation. He was a prominent industrialist, philanthropist and a pioneer in the Seafood Export Industry of India. As a student of history, he initiated a sound and light show at this premises about the story of Kerala in 1986. This had become a successful initiative which curated him to develop this museum with the help of the famous sculptor of Kerala, Mr. Karamana Rajagopal....

Located in Thevara of Ernakulam, Kerala Folklore Theatre and Museum is built in Malabar, Cochin and Travancore style of architecture. A big Kalvilakku (stone lamp) welcomes the visitors at the entrance. Stepping inside the museum after Kalvilakku, one can notice elephant statues on both sides of the steps leading to the massive multi-storey traditional building. This museum is a unique venture to preserve the splendid folklore wealth of Kerala. Opened in 2009 as a non profit organization, the museum is truly a treasure trove that showcases the rich heritage that Kerala exudes through its numerous art and dance forms....

Located off Ernakulam city in a classic village in the northern end of the Vypin island, the Cherai beach is an unspoilt stretch of sand, best for swimming and all the water activities. If the sea and sand does not satisfy your cravings, there are plenty of food and ice cream places to savour. All your adventure is keenly supervised by the life guards who are always available at your service. Dolphins can also be easily spotted....

Thirumoozhikkulam Lakshmana Perumal Temple is closely associated with the great epic Ramayana. The legend is that during the incarnation of lord Vishnu as Krishna, he had the idols of lord Rama, Bharatha, Lakshmana and Shatrughna in his town Dwarka. After his duty on his incarnation was over, the city of Dwarka was engulfed by the sea and these idols got submerged. One day while fishing in the sea at Thrissur, the idols were caught in the net of the fishermen. They had seen a flash of light emanating from the idols and were astonished....

This Thrikkakara temple complex is enclosed in a large area in picturesque surroundings, holds the main sanctum dedicated to lord Vamana. Constructed in Kerala style architecture, the temple is glorified in the early medieval Tamil saints from the 6th to 9th centuries AD. The legend describes that lord Vishnu descended as ‘Vamana’ to restore the authority of Indra, the king of heaven, as it had been taken by a demon named Mahabali. Mahabali was the grandson of Prahlada, a renowned Vishnu devotee....

This Shiva temple is located on a small island portion of the Mangalapuzha and Periyar river in Aluva. The self incarnated Shiva Linga was installed by lord Parasurama and worshipped by lord Rama, legend says. Because of its geography, Aluva Mahadeva Temple came under a series of destruction by flood. Lord Shiva told Parasurama that no temple structure will exist at this place because he does not want a temple structure for protecting the Lingam. And so, the temple was left unfinished even today....

Kochi does not lack in shopping experience for the visitors with a wide range of products and shops of different price ranges. But a 17 acre mega construction comprising 300 multinational brands and themes, Lulu mall gives no way for the shoppers to go anywhere to purchase. Built in 2013, Lulu mall is more than a shopping space, it also opens into a wonder world with countless entertainment options. One of the floors houses an amusement area of 81,000 square feet with facilities for indoor climbing wall, 5000 square feet ice skating rink, 5D Cinema, arcade gaming zone, party hall and a 12 lane bowling alley....

At a distance of 60 km from Ernakulam, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located in Thattekad is one of the best bird sanctuaries in India. Spread across 25 sqkm at the foothills of the Western Ghats, the sanctuary lies across the Periyar river. The literal meaning of Thattekad is ‘flat forest’. The topography mostly contains long running plains adorned with continuous tropical forests. The sanctuary experiences tropical weather throughout the year. In 1930, Dr. Salim Ali, India’s foremost ornithologist, discovered Thattekad as the richest bird habitat of peninsular India and it was deemed as a Bird Sanctuary in 1983....