ST FRANCIS CHURCH,

FORT KOCHI

St Francis church , a neo roman

edifice was the oldest and first
European church to be constructed
in India in 1503 AD which has a
greater historical relevance
located at the heart of Fort Kochi.
 TIMELINE

1516 - church was 1804 - Dutch voluntarily handed

1503 - church was built 1663 -
rebuilt by Franciscans over the church to the Anglican
made of wood which is dutch invasion
dedicated to St Communion. It is believed that
dedicated to St.
Anthony Anglican changed the patron
Bartholomew.
saint to St. Francis

1506 - Francisco de Almeida, the 1524 - vasco da gama 1779 - 1923 - church was
Portuguese viceroy, was allowed, died. His body was earlier church was renovated declared a protected
in 1506, by the Raja of Cochin to buried in this church by the Dutch monument under
reconstruct wooden buildings in
protected monument
stone and masonry. The wooden
act of 1904
church was rebuilt, presumably by
the Franciscan friars, with bricks
and mortar and a tiled roof was
erected.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

PEPPER, SPICE TRADE AND THE EUROPEANS

The Portuguese was seeking a sea route between Europe and the East so they
could trade directly in spices. At first Portuguese began their trade in Malabar
near Kozhikode but moved from there after being expelled by the rulers of
Calicut.In 1550 Maharaja of Kochi gave permission for the construction of the
first European fort in India. Cochin had hitherto been an obscure fishing hamlet
that became India’s first European settlements.

The Church faced various European invasions such as Portuguese following Dutch
and British until it was finally assimilated into Indian union in 1947.All these
foreign influences left their mark, with fascinating architecture spread across Fort
Kochi.
 HISTORICAL RELEVANCE

● Vasco da Gama, discover of sea route to india died in kochi.

He was originally buried in this church.

● In 1548 the Raja of Thanur made solemn promise in this church

to become a Christian.
Tomb of Vasco Da Gama

● Raja Ravi Varma was secretly baptized and named Constantine

Ravi Varma in April 5,1830 in this church.

● The cemetery attached to the church contain tombstone with

many European military officers who lay buried here.

● A war memorial made of stone masonry were also placed at the

front of the church.

War memorial
SIGNIFICANCE IN KERALA CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

● The oldest European church in India, St Francis church had great

historical significance.It was a silent witness to the colonial struggles.

● The church has an impressive frontage which reflects typical portuguese

architectural style and is simple and plain - Neo Roman edifice.

● There were gravestones and leaves with inscriptions inside the Our lady church,Vypin

church,describing glorious past of the Dutch and the Portuguese.

These inscriptions as well as the beautiful wooden carvings found
inside make the church one of the most visited churches in Kerala.

● The church design elements like arch window,externally three

storeyed facade, decoration less style etc were recreated in most of
the newly built churches at that time.

● The church is today a protected monument for its historic and

Architectural significance. St.Mary’s church,Alangad
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

● Use of buttresses as a structural element.

● Use of arched windows and doors.
● Use of arched ceiling in the interior.
● Tiled roof.
● Structure is built of wood, brick and mortar.
ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS

INTERIOR:

● The interior is different from the churches that were

built in Kerala until then. It shows strong Western
influence.
● The door opens into a large atrium space which
houses the tombs of portuguese and dutch governors
and other tomb tablets.
● Above the atrium is the balcony which overlooks the
nave.
● There is only one single nave and there are no aisles.
● It has a rectangle chancel and rectangle ambulatory.
ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS

● The altar is very simple and is rectangular in plan.

● This is the first church in Kerala without the Madbaha
tower.
● There is no false ceiling above the altar.
● The use of stained glass windows can be seen in the back
wall of the altar.

● An unusual feature is the punga or punkah system of

manual air conditioning.
● Large fans suspended from the ceiling are manually
operated by men pulling ropes (punkhawallahs)
False ceiling of atrium Tombs in atrium

Stained glass window Altar roof

ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS

● The facade is divided into 4 levels by entablatures running horizontally across the
facade.

● Arched portal flanked by columns on both sides and semi circular reliefs along the
arch. Have heavy wooden double doors and latticed glass panel for the arch.

● The lower level of the facade has four columns dividing the facade in five parts
horizontally.

● The columns rest on a pedestal has an Indian-Tuscan order capital and

entablatures running along the top, across the facade.

● The windows are arched simple windows made in white cedar. Like the doors, they
also double paned.

● The pinnacle is an ornamental structure which looks like a small spire which is
placed on the two ends of the façade from where the curves begin. It is of
Gothic-Manueline style.
ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS

● The church has a clock on its third level.

● There was a small tower on top of the facade for the

bell. There is no separated bell tower.

● The roof is of Kerala architectural style. It is gabled to

in order to adapt with the heavy rainfall in Kerala.

● The buttress of St Xavier is compact.

● There are three buttresses each on both sides.

TECHNICAL DRAWINGS

PLAN

ONE LINE PLAN

TECHNICAL DRAWINGS

ELEVATION WINDOW ELEVATION ROOF SECTION

VIEWS AND SKETCHES

ELEVATION EXTERIOR VIEW

VIEWS AND SKETCHES

FACADE VIEW INTERIOR VIEW FACADE VIEW

VIEWS AND SKETCHES

ROOF STRUCTURE BURIAL PLACE OF VASCO DA GAMA

BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

The church was originally a wooden structure dedicated to St.Bartholomew within the fort built in 1503,by the Dutch. Later the Portuguese
viceroy, Dom Francisco Almeida, was permitted by the Cochin Raja to reconstruct the buildings in stone masonry.

ROOF CEILING
Roof is constructed in Kerala The entrance hall houses
architecture style. It is gabled a wooden ceiling which is
in order to adapt with the supported by six
heavy rainfall in Kerala. The columns. The ceiling is
Portuguese were the first very high to reduce
community who were allowed heat.Exposed iron beams
to use terracotta tiles by the or rods for hanging lights
rajas.Wooden purlins running and fans are given
over the rafters can be seen.
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

WALLS WINDOWS AND

The structure is made of laterite DOORS
stone, plastered with lime and Windows are arched
certain vegetable juices.The exterior simple windows made
is also plastered with lime to give a in white cedar.Like
smooth finishing look.Large the doors, they are
ventilators for air ventilation and also double panelled.
lighting is provided on the North
wall.
FLYING BUTTRESSES
BUILT UP BEAM
Buttresses, almost six feet square at the
A single unit composed of
base, support the walls, which appear to
multiple wood members having
be at least four feet thick.It was built
the same thickness but not
against the walls in order to support it
necessarily the same depth,
from any external forces coming from
which provides greater load
sideways. There were three buttresses
carrying capability as well as
on each side.
greater resistance to deflection.
MOOD BOARD