ST. Francis Church
Church · Ernakulam
Photo: Ranjith Siji · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
History & overview
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. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were relocated to Lisbon and is now interred at Jerónimos Monastery.
Read the full history on Wikipedia ↗
Visiting ST. Francis Church
- Entry
- Free
- Timings
- Around 7:00am–6:30pm daily; access pauses during Sunday service
- Getting here
- Off Church Road, Fort Kochi, about 250 m from the Chinese fishing nets.
Remove footwear; videography is not allowed.
Fees and timings are indicative — please confirm locally. See getting around Kochi for transport.
Ratings & reviews
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Location
What's nearby
Within a short walk of ST. Francis Church.
Places to eat nearby
Things to do nearby
Travelling here safely
Safe, normal city careIs Ernakulam safe?
Ernakulam, mainland Kochi, is a busy, prosperous Indian city that is safe for visitors with normal urban awareness. Crowded MG Road and Broadway markets and the transport hubs call for the usual big-city care; violent crime against tourists is rare, and the main hazards are traffic and pickpocketing.
- Overall — Prosperous, orderly city; tourist police and 24/7 transport.
- Solo & women — Comfortable with normal city sense; women walk markets freely by day.
- Scams to watch — Auto/taxi overcharging, gold/textile commission pushes, fake “offices”.
- Petty theft — Mind pockets and bags in MG Road, Broadway and at the stations.
- Traffic — Heavy, fast traffic — cross with care, prefer app cabs at night.