The Church of Saint Francis, built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India. It stands near the Fort Kochi waterfront in a quiet compound of old trees. The original structure was built by Portuguese Franciscan friars and has been rebuilt and modified several times — by the Dutch, who converted it to a Protestant church in the 17th century, and later by the British.
The interior is whitewashed and simple, with colonial-era wooden rafters and a few memorial tablets to Dutch and British officials. Punkahs — large cloth fans that were once swung by ropes attached to servants outside — still hang from the ceiling, a detail that is both practical and historical. The church is an active Anglican congregation.