Welcome to a 60-90 minutes walking tour of the old streets of Fort
Cochin. This is
the ideal way to discover a historic town brimming with tales of myriad
seafaring
adventurers who came here for trade and then stayed on to cease their
work on this impressionable land. “Walking Through Fort Cochin” is a tour
organized as part of the Conservation and Development initiatives taken
up by the Corporation of Cochin.
Walking through Fort Cochin today is a wonderful experience. An eventful
history behind, the town presents a picture of relaxed grace that reflects a
bygone era, be part of it.
Cochin turning it into one of the finest Natural Harbours in the World.
Cochin became a heaven for seafaring visitors from all over the World and
became the first European township in India when the Portuguese settled
here in the 15th Century.
The Dutch wrested Fort Cochin from the Portuguese in AD 1663 and later
in the last phase of the colonial saga, the British took over the town in
1795. During 1660’s British Cochin peaked in stature as a prime
commercial centre and its fame spread far and wide particularly as a rich
trade centrre, a major military base, a vibrant cultural hub,a great ship
building centre a centre for Christianity and so on. Today, centuries later,
the city is home for nearly thirteen communities.
A few interesting sites included in the tour are the Chinese fishing nets
along the Vasco Da Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica, St. Francis
Church, VOC Gate, Bastion Bungalow etc. Apart from these architectural
splendours, an array of restaurants serving fresh seafood are also popular
among tourists.
The Chinese fishing nets erected on teak wood coconut and bamboo poles
work on the principle of balance. Records say they were first set up here
between AD 1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square, the narrow
promenade that parallels the beach, is the best place to watch the nets
being lowered and raised out of the sea water.
