Touring Citadel Kochi’s Portuguese Inheritance

If you’re curious about the abundant cultural exchange between India and Portugal, you worth visiting the Indo-Portuguese Museum in Fortress Kochi. This unusual museum, found in a quiet corner of the historical area, takes you back to the time when Vasco da Gama first set foot in Kerala in 1498, opening a new chapter of trade and cultural interaction. The exhibits are a testament to how Portuguese influence shaped the part of the country’s religion, art, and design. As you tour, you’ll find the museum divided into sections like Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life, and Cathedral, each emphasising the deep connection between the two ways of life.

What makes your visit even more special are the rare artifacts on display, like a 16th-century teakwood altar and a 17th-century silver and wood processional cross. These objects, along with items like a 19th-century chasuble and an intricately designed monstrance, tell stories of artistic fusion and religious practices. The museum owes much of its collection to the efforts of the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, Bishop of Kochi, and the continued support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon.