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Fort Kochi’s Koder House Luxury Hotel Gutted by Fire
Koder House, a heritage landmark in Fort Kochi functioning as a luxury hotel, has been gutted by a major fire. Kerala’s fire service confirms that only the top floor of the main Koder House is gutted, and the flames are prevented from spreading to the historic guest house, the Mikvah, and the connecting wooden bridge.
Koder House, Fort Kochi:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Construction period | The structure is believed to have first been built during the Dutch occupation of Kochi (1663-1795). |
| Later ownership and renovation | The building is later bought and renovated by SS Koder, patriarch of a Paradesi Jewish family, in the 19th century. |
| Construction year documentation | The exact construction year cannot be ascertained due to a lack of documentation. |
| Age estimates by experts | Heritage experts’ estimates comprise at least 2 centuries old and around 3 centuries old, with some stating the building bears signs of at least 300 years of history. |
| Dispute on origin claim | The hotel’s website claim of a Portuguese structure is inaccurate as per historians and heritage experts, and the building is built during the Dutch period. |
| Main architectural elements | The main Koder House comprises simple architecture with balconies, built by the Dutch and later renovated by the Koders. |
| Distinctive rear feature | A rear guest house comprises a structure connected to the main building by a wooden bridge. |
| Mikvah feature | The guest house courtyard comprises a small pond (Mikvah) used for Jewish ritual or holy bathing. |
| Mikvah uniqueness | The Mikvah is believed to be the only such Mikvah in Ernakulam. |
| Fire impact | Kerala’s fire service confirms that only the top floor of the main Koder House is gutted. |
| Portions prevented from fire spread | The flames are prevented from spreading to the historic guest house, the Mikvah, and the connecting wooden bridge. |
| Structural elements gutted | The top floor’s ancient roof and columns are gutted, as per fire service officers. |
| Items destroyed in the fire | Losses comprise photographs and paintings documenting the Koder family’s history, and furniture and tapestry with much of it originally imported from across the world. |
| Noted individual associated with the family | Samuel Koder’s civic roles comprise Honorary Consul to the Netherlands for the Cochin princely state and municipal chairman of Fort Kochi. |
| Electricity supply link | The Cochin Electric Company comprises coal-based power generation and supply across Fort Kochi and Mattanchery islands, as attributed to the Koder family. |