St. Francis Church is a stonework church set on quiet lawns amidst the bustle of Fort Kochi, 10 kms from Ernakulam. Initially named as Santo Antonio, this protestant church was originally built by the Europeans in India.

Vasco da Gama was hidden here in 1524 AD. Though 14 years later his mortal remains were taken to Portugal, the carved gravestone can still be seen in the church.

It also has crypts of Portuguese nobles. St. Francis Church was the initial church to have been built in the new European influenced style and tradition. The original wooden building of 1510 AD was replaced by the current building around 1546 AD.

Under the Dutch, the church was renovated and became protestant in 1663 AD. Inside the church, a variety of tombstone inscriptions have been placed in the walls, the earliest of which dates back to 1562 AD.
The imposing fa.