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Santa Cruz Basilica, Kerala Pilgrimage Tours
Santacruz Basilica History :
Santacruz Basilica Kerala is a Roman Catholic Cathedral and is one of the finest churches in Kerala. The arrival of Portuguese missionaries under Pedro Alavarez Cabral on December 24, 1500 marks the time Santacruz Basilica came into existence. In 1505, Francesco de Almeida the first Portuguese Viceroy after permission from the Kochi Raja started the church edifice using stones and mortar. The foundation stone of the Santacruz Basilica church was laid on May 3, 1505. Since the day is the feast day of the ?nvention of the Holy Cross hence the church was named Santa Cruz.
When the Dutch conquered Cochin in 1663, all Catholic buildings except St. Francis Church and the Cathedral were damaged. One of the decorative granite pillars is kept as a memorabilia at Santacruz Basilica Cochin
The Santacruz Basilica Cochin cathedral is not only one of the oldest churches in the whole of India it is also counted as one of the heritage sites in Kerala.
Santacruz Basilica Location:
Santacruz Basilica Is located at K.B Jacob road in
Fort Kochi, Ernakulam. Ernakulam is a small town in Kerala.The Fort is accessible by Bus or Boat.
Boat Ride Details are :
Ferry rides from the Main boat jetty in Ernakulam are available from Subhash Park to Fort Cochin.
The rides are available every 45minutes from around 6am to 9.30pm.
For ferry information Contact : 0484-2371761
Air : Santacruz Basilica location has an International Air Port nearby. It is at Nedumbassery about 22 kms away from Ernakulam.
Rail:The nearest station to Santacruz Basilica location is at Ernakulam about 13 km from Fort Kochi. Trains from various cities in South India have good connectivity to Santacruz Basilica Cochin.
Bus : Regular bus service is available from Ernakulam to Fort Kochi. KSRTC Central Bus station is near the Ernakulam Junction railway station. Private buses, Taxis can also be hired to go to Santacruz Basilica location.
When To Visit Santacruz Basilica Cathedral :
The Santacruz Basilica trust looks after the pilgrims whio visit the church. The day to day functioning and maintenance of the cathedral is done by the trust.
October to April is the best months to visit however, Cochin Carnival Festival is held every year in the last week at Fort Kochi, Kerala. The Carnival procession and other festivities make it the best time to visit Santacruz Basilica Kerala.
The Santacruz Basilica Cochin Timings Are :
Open from 9 am - 1 pm and 3 pm- 5 pm.
Mass timings daily 6 am, 7 am and 6 pm in the local language Malayalam
Saturday 6 pm and Sunday 4.30 pm in English.
Other Attractions :
Mattancherry Palace was built by the Portuguese and gifted to the Raja of Cochin. Beautiful paintings depicting scenes from Ramayana make it a must visit site.
Fort Kochi was a dwelling place built by the British traders. The art galleries here are worth visiting.
St Francis Church in the Fort Kochi region was built by the Portuguese in the year 1503 A.D.
Santacruz Basilica Kerala Hotels :
Taj Malabar
Hotel Mercy
Hotel Blue Diamond
Santacruz Basilica Kerala Information Center :
The tourist information centre is at Pallipparambil Grace Villa, 1544-A, Nazareth West, Kochi - 682002