Editing Nagercoil (section)

==Architecture==
{{Main|Architecture of Kerala|Architecture of Tamil Nadu|Tamil architecture}}
[[File:A view of Nagercoil.jpg|thumb|left|170px|View of Nagercoil buildings]]
[[File:Suchindram - Thanumalayan Temple5.jpg|thumb|right|The Thanumalayan Temple Pond and its adjoining streets inhabited since the 16th century]]
The architecture of Nagercoil consists of an eclectic combination of architectural styles, ranging from those that predate the creation of the town, from the early [[Dravidian architecture]] and [[Kerala Architecture]], to English [[Gothic Revival]], to the 21st century contemporary. Although there are prehistoric and classical structures in the city, the architectural history of Nagercoil effectively begins with the first small settlements from 3&nbsp;AD. The Roman naturalist and writer [[Pliny the Elder]] mentions Nagercoil as a commercial metropolis, having trade links with his contemporaneous Roman merchants, who traded and stayed in unique rock-walled, clay-roofed structures. This legacy can be found in some of the town's old heritage structures like the [[Nagaraja Temple, Nagercoil]]. The temple has two main deities, Krishna (revered as Ananda Krishna) and Nagaraja. The upadevathas are Shiva, Subrahmanya Swami, Ganesha, Devi, and Dwarapalaka. As an ancient tradition, the priests are Namboothiri Brahmins who are referred by the Pambumekkat mana in Thrissur, Kerala. Later on, Dravidian and Kerala architectural styles began to appear in the area. This can be attributed to the construction of the [[Thanumalayan Temple]] in the 16th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/br/2002/01/29/stories/2002012900150300.htm|title=History of Suchindram temples|website=The Hindu}}</ref>


The 14th century [[St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar]] serves as a testimony to the mix of Roman and native architecture{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}. While Saint Xavier was doing missionary work at Kottar and its neighbourhood, he averted an invasion of Padagas and thus protected the people of the Venad kingdom from that attack which was appreciated by the king, Unni Kerala Varma{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}. In recognition of Xavier's services, the king allotted him a piece of land to construct a Catholic church, as a gesture of goodwill, as per the church records. There was already a small church, in the same place where St. Xavier's church stands at present, dedicated to Mary the Mother of God, since AD 1544.

The artistic influence of Kerala and British architecture marvels are seen in the Nagercoil Palace, [[Nagercoil Clock Tower]], [[CSI Home Church, Nagercoil|Home Church]], [[Scott Christian College]], [[Scott Christian Higher Secondary School|Scott School]], [[Carmel Higher Secondary School]], [[St. Joseph's Convent Higher Secondary School|St. Joseph Convent]], Sethu Lakshmi Bai School, Nagercoil Court, The Concordia Seminary, Filter House, [[Catherine Booth Hospital|The Salvation Army Catherine Booth Hospital]] and many more heritage structures in and around the town{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}.

The Nagercoil Clock Tower is the most visible to the outside world, situated in the heart of the town, which was built to commemorate the visit of Sri Moolam Thirunal, the ruler of [[Travancore]], in 1893,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clock Tower |url=https://nagercoilcorporation.in/clock-tower/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Nagercoil Corporation |language=en-US}}</ref> and was designed by Hogeorf and S. Horesly of England. The Maharajah himself inaugurated it on 15 February of that year. The pendulum of the clock was made in Derbyshire by Smith of Derby Group, [[London]]. The clock is attached to a 60-foot-long chain with a weight, operated with pulleys through gravitational force. The clock in the Nagercoil Clock Tower was presented to the Maharajah by Rev. James Duthie. of the London Missionary Society.<ref name="OnlineKanyakumari.Com">{{cite web|title=Nagercoil Clock Tower - Nagercoil Mani Medai  |url=http://www.onlinekanyakumari.com/nagercoil-clock-tower-tower-junction-mani-medai-manimedai/|publisher=OnlineKanyakumari.Com|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> The total cost for constructing the Nagercoil Clock Tower was ₹ 3,258, 9 Chakrams and 12 Kasu. The Maharajah of Travancore donated ₹ 1017, and the balance was donated by the public.<ref name="OnlineKanyakumari.Com"/>