Church of the Holy Name

The skyline of Pune is dotted with tall spires from across centuries. There are iconic temples, churches, synagogues, forts, and mansions with turrets and towers standing tall and proud next to modern-day buildings. The variety in the architecture across the ages has given Pune a distinct flavor. In the area of Guruwar Peth stands a huge 19th-century tower made of red bricks. This tower is a part of The Church of The Holy Name which stands here. 

The church is also known as Panch Howd Mission Church. Panch Howd translates to “Five Water Tanks.” The church gets this name because it has been built on five water tanks in the surrounding area. The foundation stone of this Gothic-style church was laid in 1883 and the construction was completed in 1885. It is also called Pavitra Naam Devalay in Marathi (which translates to the Church of the Holy Name). 

The most iconic feature of this church is its 130-foot-tall bell tower. Housed within the tower are eight bells, cast by Taylor and Sons from Longborough. The tower was built between 1893-1898.

The church also witnessed a significant historic event in 1890. On October 14, 1890, the sisters of the Panch Howd Mission served tea and biscuits to Indian revolutionaries Lokmanya Tilak, Mahadev Govind Ranade, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. The mission still preserves the table on which the tea and biscuits had been served.