Looking at the churches in Kerala, one might get fascinated by the peculiarities of their architecture. They are endowed with unique designs that are subtle, elegant and classy. These factors create an aura of reverence and sacredness inside the church structures. One of the most important centres for worship among the Christian community in Thiruvananthapuram is one such church that will amaze us with its architectural specialities – the St. Joseph’s Latin Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral located in Palayam, one of the busiest spots in the city.
Locally referred to as the Palayam Palli, the church is the Roman Catholic Latin Rite cathedral of the Archdiocese of Trivandrum. First built in 1873, the final extensions and completions including the gothic-styled facade and bell tower were finished around 1927. The Diocese of Trivandrum was formed in 1937 following the bifurcation of the Diocese of Quilon and the St. Joseph’s Church became its Cathedral.
When the Diocese of Trivandrum was raised to the metropolitan archdiocese in 2004, St. Joseph’s Cathedral was elevated to a metropolitan cathedral. There is a beautiful statue of St. Joseph with the child Jesus on the facade. Another statue of Jesus with hands raised is also erected on the top of the tower.
