The Fort Kochi is one of the most-sought beach destination of Kerala, located at a distance 12 kms from the Ernakulam city. The landscapes of Fort Kochi are an obscure fishing village that are renowned to be one of the first European township in India. The place features a colorful and eventful history which has been ruled by various rulers like Dutch, Portuguese and British. Each of these rulers had different cultural interfaces whose impressions can widely be seen in the remains of the Indo-European architecture of the various monuments present Fort Kochi.
The Chinese fishing nets that have unique and exclusive to Kochi, can be seen aligned on the popular sea fronts of Kochi beaches. These Chinese fishing nets are widely used as an unusual method of fishing. The entire structure is 10 meters in height. The nets are left in the water for a short time of about four to five minutes before being raised up by tugging ropes. They are said to have been brought to Kochi by the trader from China and are widely used during the high tide conditions by the fishermen at the Fort Kochi beach.
Attractions:
Mattancherry is a man-made island which is created by the material dredge while deepening Kochi Fort. The island is situated between the old town of Mattancherry and Ernakulam which are separated by the tranquil backwaters. The other important island is the Willingdon Island which is famed among the tourist for its various tourist attractions like the Seaport, Railway Terminus, Southern Naval Command Headquarters, The Govt. Of India Tourist Office, Customs House and the Kochi Port office etc.
Bolghatty Palace:
Bolghatty Palace is a beautiful palace located on the Bolghatty Island. The island is surrounded by coconut groves and scenic surroundings. The access to the island is easy and hassle free and can be directly approached from the mainland. The Bolghatty Palace present on this island was built by the Dutch rulers in 1774 which later came under the ownership of the British Residency. Presently the palace is converted into a heritage property by the KTDC and is well preserved with all its old world charms.
Jewish Synagogue:
Jewish Synagogue is an ancient monument situated on the Mattancherry island was built in 1568 AD. The prime attraction to visit in Jewish Synagogue are the Chinese hand-painted tiles and the copper plates in the which the grants of privilege by the erstwhile Kochi rulers were recorded. The synagogue remains closed on Saturdays and various Jewish holidays. While on the working days it is kept open for the public from 10 am to 12 pm and from 3 pm to 5 pm in the evening.
