You keep going back to come places just because of their beauty. The Shettihalli Church has a unique reason that compels people to revisit it. The church looks completely different in the summer and the monsoons. The church is just 2km from Shettihalli in Hassan.
In summers, you can walk up to the church and reimagine what it must have looked like when it was complete. A trip in the monsoons will show you why this church is also called the Floating Church.
Read: 7 Must-visit Places nearby Hassan
The Shettihalli Rosary Church – Highlights
- Address: Shetti halli, Hassan, Karnataka 573201 (MAP)
- Website: https://shettihallichurch.com/
- Distance from Bangalore – 205 km
- Timing: 6 AM to 7 PM
- Best time to visit – July to October
The Shettihalli Church History
This Church was built in the 1860s by French missionaries. It was patronized by the British estate owners in the region. About a hundred years later, the church was abandoned when the Hemavati Dam and Gorur Dam were constructed. In 1982, the Church roof collapsed.
The Architecture of the Church
The Church boasts of stunning Gothic-styled architecture. Like other churches, it would have had a cruciform shape. Once upon a time, it would have also had beautiful stained glass windows. The scalloped arches are a unique design element not seen in many churches from that time. This is an Islamic architecture reference that is believed to have been incorporated to make the building familiar and comforting to the local populace.
From what remains today, we can draw inferences that the Church had a large bell tower and flowery stucco ornamentation on the trusses. Locals believe the church was built with a mixture of eggs and jaggery in the mortar.
A large gate still stands at what would have been the main south entrance. Most of the central portion of the Church is still standing. Most of the walls have crumbled and only the pillars are remaining.
Shettihalli Church in the Summer
The church remerges every summer as the monsoon water levels dip. The church stands in the middle of a vast open space. It’s a popular site for photoshoots as well as commercial films.
Best time to visit: December to May
Shettihalli Church in the Monsoons
The monsoons drown the church leaving behind only the tops of the arches. At times, all one can make out is the spire. Visitors can take a coracle ride to the area.
Best time to visit: July to October
How to Reach Shettihalli Church
By Road
Shettihalli is about 200km from Bangalore and is well connected by state and private bus services. You can also drive down yourself. The Church is a 10-minute walk from the bus stop.
By Rail
A mere 22km away, the Hassan railway station is the closest railway station to the Church. From here you can take a bus or cab to the church.
By Air
The Mysore Airport is 131km from the Church. From here you can hire a taxi or drive down to the Church.