Santa Cruz Basilica, Fort Kochi, Kerala
Santa Cruz Basilica is located located in Fort Kochi area of Cochin, Kerala. It is a Roman Catholic church located near St. Francis Church. Built in 1503, it is a beautiful example of Portuguese architecture. It is a beautiful cream color building with two front minaret. It is one of the 8 basilicas in India. Santa Cruz Basilica was not destroyed by the Dutch who conquered this part of Kerala later. The British demolished the building and a new new building was built by the Bishop of Cochin – Bishop D. João Gomes Ferreira (a Portuguese). It was declared a Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984. More on its history and other info on their website.
I visited there in the morning on Sunday when the prayer was going on. It seems one should not move while the prayer was going on. So I did not go inside. I was told Frescoes and mural paintings decorate the ceiling and interior parts of the church.
Website: http://www.santacruzcathedralbasilica.org/