Our Lady of Dolours Basilica Church

St. Thomas, one of the twelve chosen Disciples of Christ and the Apostle of India who sowed the seeds of Christianity in India, set foot at Cranganore (Kodungallur) in 52 AD.
At that time Cranganore (Kodungallur) was a busy center of commerce and an important port. He traveled about various parts of Kerala by water and land, preaching the Gospel and forming Christian communities which began to grow and several of them sprang up in the vicinities of Thrissur Town too. The heart of the town, known for its spiritual and cultural heritage, was a dense forest in those days.

This Basilica is built using Gothic architecture style, with Indo-Gothic work done in the interiors. Being the largest church in India, it covers an area of 25, 000 sq. ft. The church has 3 huge towers of which two towers are in the front of which each is 145ft tall, and the central tower at the rear that has a height of 260ft. The impressive entrance of the church that is adorned with bellfries is a sight to marvel. The interiors are also decorated impressively, with double storeys along the nave, 11 altars with 5 on either side of the main altar.
The Bible Tower that was later added to this stunning structure, is Kerala's first Christian art gallery, with a collection of murals, paintings and other displays that include the childhood of Christ carved in wood, a stained glass depiction of healing of Jesus, stories of miracles of Jesus in brass, the sufferings of Jesus portrayed in oil paintings and mural paintings of the life history of St. Thomas.
Getting there
Nearest railway station: Thrissur Railway Station, about 2 km
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 51 km
Google map coordinates: G6C9+C8 Thrissur, Kerala