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Places to See in Chennai
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Places to see in chennai |
Fort St George:
Fort St. George was
built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD giving
it a military architecture. It bestows pride and caliber in
Chennai. The fort was inaugurated on April 23rd coinciding
with St. George's Day. Hence the Fort was named after the
patron saint St. George. The Fort faced the sea and became
a prominent place of merchandise which paved way for the
formation of a town called George Town which enveloped the
other villages and was popularly called as Chennaipattinam.
Now it is being preserved and sustained by The
Archaeological Survey of India. Within the boundaries of
Fort St. George, the St. Mary's church and Museum is
located with awe-inspiring paintings, medals, letters and
antiques belonging to the colonial period. The glass
windows, teak plaques still glitter with their beauty and
are a delight for the eyes. The Fort St. George Museum was
built in 1976 and honoured as one of the oldest surviving
buildings. The 150 feet tall Flagstaff is a fascinating
feature of the Fort. It is made up of teakwood. The statue
of Lord Cornwallis in front of the museum is a masterpiece
and has historical importance to it. Presently, the Fort
houses the Administrative Headquarters, The State
Legislature and the Secretariat.
Vivekananda
House and Museum:
The Vivekananda
House or the Vivekananda Illam is one of the attractions
along the beach road. The place gains its historical
significance from two main factors. Swami Vivekananda
stayed here for a period of 9 days when he visited Chennai
in 1897. To add to the attraction, there is a permanent
exhibition on Swami Vivekananda that was established by the
Chennai Branch of Ramakrishna Math. The place has another
history attached to it which dates back to 1842.
Constructed in 1842, this place was originally used to
store ice blocks imported from USA by the Tudor Ice
Company, which is why it holds another famous name - The
Ice House. This went on until 1874 when they decided to
produce ice locally. In 1885, the building was purchased by
a Bilagiri Iyengar and named it "The Castle Kernon". The
building was later taken over by the government in 1930 and
in 1963 it came to be called the Vivekananda House. Books
and photographs of the great Monk illustrating the
historical happenings associated with his life and his own
writings are on display and even sold in the museum.
Ripon
Building:
The white coloured, indo-saracenic
style of architectural structure representing the Gothic,
Ionic and Corinthian style is the seat of Chennai
Corporation and is located near Central Station, Chennai.
The main attraction of the building is the Westminster
Quarter Chiming Clock which is a mechanical one wound every
day and comprises of 4 bells. The three-storied building is
named after Lord Ripon. The domed features of the building
add to its beauty and magnificence.
Valluvar Kottam:
The Valluvar
kottam - a dedication to the great Tamil poet and
philosopher - Thiruvalluvar is a great piece of
architecture on the corner of Kodambakkam high road. It
comprises of an auditorium and a temple chariot. The poet's
epic - the Thirukkural are inscribed on the granite pillars
that surround the auditorium. The temple chariot is 101
feet high with a life-size image of the great Thiruvalluvar.
The base of the chariot marks the 133 chapters of the
Thirukkural and is a place of interest for the Tamil
lovers, poets, writers and philosophers.
The
Theosophical Society:
The place which
facilitates and encourages the study of philosophy, science
and rational thought and comparative religions is the
theosophical society based here near the Adyar river. Here
is present the 95 years old library which has great and
rare collections of the oriental manuscripts. Also present
are the shrines of all faith and the garden of remembrance
which attracts many a visitors.
The High Court:
Build during the
British rule, the high court represents the indo-saracenian
style of architecture with domes and corridors. It is based
adjacent to the Parrys corner and is one of the most
popular landmarks in Chennai and is one of the largest
judicial complexes in the world.
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