About this destination
Discover St. Mary's Knanaya Valiyapally
At a glance
Why this place stands out
St. Mary’s Knanaya Valiyapally is a historic 1550 church at Thazhathangadi, Kottayam, noted for Knanaya heritage, a Persian cross with Pahlavi inscriptions and old paintings.
St. Mary’s Knanaya Valiyapally, also called Kottayam Valiyapally, stands at Thazhathangadi and is closely associated with the history of the Knanaya Christian community in Kottayam. Keralam Tourism records that the church was built in 1550 on land contributed by the Thekkumkoor royal family.
Among its best-known heritage features is a Persian cross bearing Pahlavi inscriptions, an object that has long attracted interest from scholars and visitors studying Keralam’s early Christian connections with West Asia. Paintings around the altar and ceiling add another visual layer to the church’s historical appeal. The site also belongs to the wider Thazhathangadi heritage landscape, where old religious buildings and merchant houses reflect Kottayam’s former river-based trading importance.
Valiyapally remains an active church, so the best visitor experience balances architectural observation with respect for worship and parish life. It can be combined easily with Cheriapally and the heritage streets beside the Meenachil River.
Nammude Keralam