Thrissur originally Thrisivaperoor and previously known by its anglicized form as Trichur, is the fourth largest city, the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala (Pop. 1,854,783) and the 20th largest in India. It is also the headquarters of the Thrissur District. The City is built around a 65-acre (26 ha) hillock called the Thekkinkadu Maidan which seats the Vadakkumnathan temple. Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin. It is located 300 kilometres (186 mi) towards north-west of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual and religious leanings throughout history. It houses the Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Kerala Sahitya Academy. The city hosts the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala. The festival is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidan in April or May. Thrissur has a large number of well-known temples including the Vadakkumnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu temple, as well as two famous churches, the Our Lady of Lourdes Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral and the Our Lady of Dolours Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica.
Thrissur has historically been a center of Hindu scholarship. The city houses one of the most important temples of Hindu Shaivism, that is the Vadakunnathan temple. The district is also home one of the most holiest Hindu Vaishnava temples, the Guruvayur temple. Christianity, Islam and Judaism entered in to the Indian subcontinent through the Thrissur district. The works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings claim Thomas the Apostle to have set foot in Muziris near here 2,000 years ago. (AD 51-52) The country’s first mosque, Cheraman Juma Masjid, opened in AD 629. It has opened the gates for Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English
