Santa Cruz Church
4.9
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Some say that Bangkok is a city with 2 eras. It’s a combination of modern civilization and history, which are preserved in some areas such as the Kudi Chin Community. Along the Chao Phraya River, you’ll see the Kudi Chin Community where they still preserve their original lifestyle. These buildings were built almost 300 years ago, and one of them is Santa Cruz Church.
The Santa Cruz Church was built in King Thonburi’s era (1769) to be the place of worship for Portuguese that migrated from Ayutthaya. The church was repaired many times and looks somewhat like a Chinese shrine. Thus, it became the name of this area – “Kudi Chin” (Kudi – Monk’s house, Chin – Chinese). Santa Cruz Church is designed in the Renaissance and neo-classical style. The dome of the church is Italian style just like Florence Cathedral, and Thailand’s Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. The church’s interior has a curved ceiling and colored mirrors that depict Christian stories. There are also stairs leading to the big bell on the top of the church.
After you witness the beauty of Santa Cruz Church, you can walk around Kudi Chin Community. Since the church was a place for the Portuguese to worship at that time, Kudi Chin nowadays still has a Portuguese feel about it. In the area, there are many shops selling Portuguese desserts. The locals call it “Khanom Farang”, which is made from wheat, duck egg, sugar, and decorated with dried fruits.
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The unique identity of this community will show you another perception of Bangkok through cultures and nationalities. The charms of so many different cultures cannot be parted by the flow of time, and we’d love for you to see them for yourself with our Local Experts!
