<P> Thrissur pronunciation (help info) (originally Thiru Siva Peroor and previously known by its anglicised 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 . </P> <P> The name Thrissur is a shortened form of Thiru - Shiva - Per - Ur (Malayalam: തിരു - ശിവ - പേര് - ഊര്, Lord - Shiva - Name - Town) literally translates to' The City or Town with the name of the "Lord Shiva"' . The name owes itself to the most prominent feature of the city, that is the Vadakkumnathan Temple, which has Shiva as its presiding deity . Alternately, Thri - Shiva - Perur (Malayalam: ത്രി - ശിവ - പേരൂർ, Three - Shiva - Palace) means the place with three famous Shiva temples which are said to be--the Vadakkumnathan Temple, Kottapuram Shiva temple and the Poonkunnam Siva Temple . Thrissur was known by its anglicised name Trichur until 1990, when the government decided to replace it with its Malayalam name . Thrissur was also known as "Vrishabhadripuram" (Kailasam of the South) in ancient days . </P> <P> Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual and religious leanings throughout history . It contains 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, and the Guruvayur 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, the largest Christian church in India . </P> <P> Thrissur has historically been a centre of Hindu scholarship . The city has one of the most important temples of Hindu Shaivism, that is the Vadakunnathan temple . The district is also home of one of the most holiest Hindu Vaishnava temples, the Guruvayur temple . Christianity, Islam and Judaism entered into 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 Thrissur 2,000 years ago . (AD 51--52) India's first mosque, Cheraman Juma Masjid, opened in AD 629 . Thrissur has opened the gates for Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English . </P>

Why thrissur is called cultural capital of kerala