Information on Old Harbour House (Ernakulam, Kerala) - History & Architecture

Old Harbour House is located at Park Tower Road, Fort Kochi, Ernakulum District in Kerala State of south India. It is and heritage bungalow built by the Dutch's, 300 years ago. This bungalow was an important place for the colonialist of Kochi. Now the old Harbor House is a boutique hotel. It is the oldest hotel in Fort Kochi, still serving hospitality to the tourist visiting Cochin.

Old Harbour House Architecture

Old Harbour House is a single storied bungalow built in the European architectural model. This structure is built out of the locally found laterite stones which are available in Cochin and nearby areas. It is a rectangular shaped huge building with 13 large spacious rooms, as well as many small rooms, halls, verandahs, balconies, chimneys and a swimming pool. One of the rooms was a Bastion room to safe guard its resident people in times of crises. Its door and windows were built in big size to view the panoramic beauty of the Arabian Sea. All its wooden windows were framed with glasses. There are many carved pillars inside the bungalow, which gives it a royal looks. On the interior, the teak wood was commonly used. Its beams and pillars were made out of woods. The stair case built to reach the first floor is also built with strong teak wood, which is in use till today. It has a remarkable wooden keeling with very thick and large pieces supporting with walls and pillars. It was constructed in such a way that it looked like a Dutch building from outside and a Portuguese model on the inner parts of the building. Provision of ample natural light and wind flows are taken care in this construction works. There is Portugal model of furniture's and other house hold materials kept here are all brought from European countries. It has spacious landscape with beautiful gardens.

Old Harbour House History

Old Harbour House was built in the year 1788 AD. These times were the peak of colonial trading happened in the Malabar Coast to the European countries. Many European travelers stayed here from time to time and kept it as traveler's bungalow. The Portugal peoples used this house first for a loner time. The second colonialist to accommodate here was the Dutch family who used it as their residence. Thirdly, this was followed by the British merchants who were rich traders of Tea for the British East India Company, occupied this bungalow till Indians Independence. The owner of this heritage building is Edward Pinto, who converted in to a hotel by renovating its. The renovation work was an appreciable task by his team, since it looked more elegant then it was in the olden days. Each and every inch and corners of the building was taken care and molded according the European style itself. Now it became a perfect heritage luxury hotel with spacious suits rooms and a demanding place for foreign tourists. It is located in the backwaters and the view from this hotel of the Arabian Sea is an incredible thing, since the Fort Kochi and its surroundings with Chinese fishing nets and other important monuments are seen from here. Thus, this old Harbour House became the landmark of Fort Kochi.

Old Harbour House Tourism Importance

Old Harbour House is the preferred hotel list for foreign tourists for its elegance and beauty in the backwaters. It is in the main area of Fort Kochi which is a tourist destination place in Cochin. Staying in this hotel will be a heritage visit to the past history of times. It is a splendid European structure on the Arabian Sea's backwater Islands.