Kolenchery

Kolenchery is a town in the Poothrikka gram panchayat in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Located on National Highway 85, Kolenchery is situated 3 km from Poothrikka and 20 km from Kochi. There have been plans to include Kolenchery as part of the Kochi metropolitan area.

The name of the place originates from St. Peter's and St. Paul's Orthodox Syrian Church or 'Kolenchery Church', which is an ancient and historic church at Kolenchery built by Thankan Mappila of the Kolenchery House in 9th century CE (7th century in Malayalam Calendar). Tomb of Mar Thoma VII, the 7th Malankara Metropolitan, is situated in this historical Church.

St. Peter's College in the town has conducted botanical research. St Peter's Higher Secondary School, St Peter's Vocational Higher Secondary School, St Peter's High School, TTC, B. Ed College, MOSC Medical College, etc. It is a peaceful and naturally beautiful place with wooded hills and paddy fields.

M. Chacko Pillai and P. M. Paily Pillai, the two brothers were two prominent politicians, businessmen and philanthropists from Kolenchery, Kerala. They were among the main architects of the modern Kolenchery town. M. O. S. C. Medical College Hospital, St. Peter's College, St. Peter's Higher Secondary and Vocational Higher Secondary school, St. Peter's Teacher's Training Institute and B.Ed. College, Kothamangalam Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, the plethora of Governmental institutions in and around Kolenchery all stand witness to their visionary leaderships.

Etymology
In 345 AD, a family known as 'those who came from Syria' came along with Thomas of Cana and settled in the merchant centre of Kozhenchery. A branch of this family settled in Kandanad and later on in Elamkulam for business purposes. As this family came from Kozhenchery they came to be known as the 'Kolenchery family' and since this family established it, the church came to be known as 'Kolenchery church', from which originated the name of the place.

Location
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Kolenchery,+Kerala,+India/@9.9788888,76.4670205,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3b07e00a819b1b6b:0x6faa68d0ce73d422!8m2!3d9.9796536!4d76.4730796?hl=en