Location : The
Synagogue at Fort Kochi, about 10 km from Ernakulam town, central Kerala. Opening
hours : 10:00 - 17:00 hours; closed on Fridays
The
Synagogue at Fort Kochi,constructed in 1568, is the oldest in the
Commonwealth. Destroyed in a shelling during the Portuguese raid in 1662, it
was rebuilt two years later by the Dutch.
Mid-18th century hand
painted, willow patterned floor tiles from Canton in China, a clock tower,
Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, great scrolls of the Old Testament,
ancient scripts on copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by
the erstwhile Cochin rulers were recorded etc., are articles of interest
here.
The area around the Synagogue is a centre of spice trade and
curio shops. To know more about this street.
Getting
there : Nearest railway station :
Ernakulam, about 10 km from the Synagogue. Nearest
airport : Cochin International Airport, about 30 km from the
Synagogue.