• Visit the oldest European church of India
• Witness the gravestone of Vasco da Gama, this is the same church where the body Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was buried in1524 however after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon
• You can customize your itinerary as per your own preferences

St. Francis Church is the oldest European Church of the India. Built by the Portuguese in the early 1500’s, initially, the church was a simple wooden structure, dedicated to St. Bartholomew. However, later in 1506, the raja of Cochin permitted the Portuguese Viceroy Dom Francisco Almedia to reconstruct the church in stone. The new church was completed in 1516 and was dedicated to St. Antony. A gravestone of Vasco da Gama is another point of fascination here. Church also features an Old Dutch baptism and marriage register, the Doop book.

This is the church where faith and history meets. Having witnessed and survived a period of wars and invasion, this church still retain that old charm. The church has a lofty structure with a gabled timber framed roof covered with tiles. A steeped pinnacle on both side of the façade gives it’s an impressive look. The interior of the church is as grandeur as its exterior. The two stepped pinnacles crowns the top of the chancel roof and an arched opening divides the chancel form the nave. As you move, on the southern side of the church you would see the gravestone of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama who was once buried here before his remains were removed to Lisbon.