Shettihalli Rosary Church - Old Church built by the French Missionaries

Shettihalli Rosary Church, also known as the ‘floating church’, is a Gothic style abandoned church from 20 km away Hassan town. was constructed in 1860 by French missionaries. The church was built on the banks of Hemavathi river and served as a religious worship center for the wealthy British. After India’s independence, the Government decided to build a dam (Gorur dam now) and the Hemavathi reservoir for better utilization of water. There is said to be a small village near this church and they were all asked to evacuate on the eve of this construction. Ever since, this church and the surroundings get submerged in water every monsoon, only a portion of it is visible.

Once the water recedes, the church can be seen in its full glory. The church was believed to be built with mortar and bricks with a mixture of jaggery and eggs. The church is in ruins now with only the skeletal structure. The eroded walls bear the testimony of regular flooding for so many years. The church now is a significant shooting spot for regional movies & serials. Though there is no specific time to visit the church, summer (December to May) will show the church in its full glory whereas the monsoon will narrate a different story of the submerged church. During the monsoon, one can hire a coracle ride with the locals as the water levels rise.