About Kochi
A world-famous port, while to others a business center and to yet others a glamorous mirror to Kerala's vivid multifaceted personality Cochin is indeed an enigma for travellers. Glimpses of the political, religious and commercial developments of the city are visible in the heritage of forts, churches and temples the city possesses.One of the main attractions is the Dutch Palace at Mattancherry renowned for its wall murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana. Fort Kochi, though now in ruins, contains many remains of Indo-European architecture. The Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what is locally called the Jew Town is a fascinating mixture of shops, warehouses and spice auction rooms. The St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, stands as the pride of Fort Cochin. The Santa Cruz Basilica is an important place to visit.. The Hill Palace Museum at Tripunithura houses the collections of the Cochin and Travancore royal families. Finally, the Willingdon Island, named after Lord Willingdon, is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command of India. The two main railway stations and the bus stands are located here. Willingdon island which houses the Airport, Port & Naval base lies between Ernakulam & FortKochi, which makes Cochin easily accessible from all the parts of the country.