Santa Cruz Basillica

The Santa Cruz Basillica is located at K.B Jacob Road in Fort Kochi. This is a 500 year old Roman Catholic Church with a remarkable Gothic façade and towering spires. It is one of the most imposing structures in Kerala.

The Santa Cruz Basillica was first erected in 1505 and was transformed into a Cathedral by Pope Paul IV. During the Dutch rule it was used as a repository of arms but was later destroyed by the British in 1795. The Church was later refurbished in 1887 by Bishop Dom Joao Gomes Fereira and was heralded as a Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984. The church is worth visiting, the ceiling is adorned with stunning paintings depicting Christ’s life, the interiors are very impressive with stained glass windows and massive ornate columns.