The Armenian Church on Armenian Street in George Town carries the date 1772 on its pediment, but a wooden church stood on the site from 1712. Its six bells, each about 150 kg and made in London, are still rung on Sunday mornings at 9.30, even though the city’s Armenian community has all but disappeared.
It is one of the quietest compounds in George Town and a Grade I entry on CMDA’s draft heritage list. Here is its history, the story of the bells, and what to know before you visit.
Armenians in Madras
Armenian merchants were trading in Madras long before the British arrived in strength. The News Minute reported that Armenians were present as early as 1512, and that they grew wealthy as traders with many privileges. DT Next adds that they traded in jute, silk, spices and precious stones, and that the first Armenian printing press in India was set up in Madras in 1772 by Shahamir Shahamirian.
The community left a large mark for its size. In 1794 Rev. Haruthiun Shmavonian published Azdarar, the first Armenian journal, in Madras. The merchant Coja Petrus Uscan built the Marmalong Bridge across the Adyar in 1728, where the Maraimalai Adigal Bridge at Saidapet stands today, and the steps to the shrine on St Thomas Mount. The street’s Tamil name, Aranmanaikaran Teru, is a corruption of Armenian, a local history notes, and has nothing to do with a palace.
The church and its graves
Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the church sits behind a high wall in a courtyard planted with trees. The altar has a painting of the Virgin Mary being taken to heaven, which the News Minute describes as unique in the country. About 350 Armenians are buried in the courtyard and gardens, including Shmavonian himself. The last burial here was in 1850, after which burials moved to a ground near Chennai Central.
The church has no resident priest. A 2012 account carried by Hetq said the Armenian Apostolic Church funds it and the Armenian Church Committee in Kolkata maintains it, with a caretaker living on the grounds. An annual service in Armenian is held when a priest visits; in 2018 it included a memorial prayer for Shmavonian, whose death anniversary falls on 9 February.
Small details reward a slow look. The paintings on the walls were made by a former caretaker, George Gregorian, who lived in India for 50 years, according to the 2012 account. The News Minute adds that Madras Armenians sent a hand-embroidered altar curtain to Armenia around 1780 that is still in use there, and that Michael Stephan, described as the city’s last resident Armenian, moved to Bengaluru in 2004.
The bells
The belfry holds six bells, each weighing about 150 kg and between 21 and 26 inches across, brought from London at different times. They are rung every Sunday at 9.30 am. The belfry stairs, about three centuries old, are not open to visitors, so you hear them from the courtyard rather than climb up.
If you want to hear them, arrive a little before 9.30 on a Sunday, when George Town is also at its quietest and the walk down Armenian Street is easy.
Visiting the church
- Hours: a 2012 report gave daily opening from 9.30 am to about 2.30 pm. Hours depend on the caretaker, so treat this as a guide and go in the morning.
- Entry: there is no ticket. A donation box is the usual way to contribute to upkeep.
- Behaviour: this is a consecrated church and a cemetery. Dress modestly, keep voices low and ask before photographing inside.
- Getting there: it is a short walk from Parry’s Corner and from the High Court and Mannady side of George Town.
- Nearby: Gokhale Hall, built in 1914, stands on the same street, and Coral Merchant Street runs just behind it.
Heritage status
The church appears as a Grade I building in Phase I of the CMDA draft list of heritage buildings, sent to the government on 6 December 2013. Grade I is the highest category on the list, meaning any change to the fabric is supposed to be cleared by the Heritage Conservation Committee. The building’s upkeep, however, still rests with the church’s own trustees and the diaspora that funds it.
Quick answers
How old is the Armenian Church in Chennai?
The present building dates from 1772; a wooden church stood on the site from 1712.
When are the bells rung?
Every Sunday at 9.30 am.
Can I visit the Armenian Church?
Yes. A 2012 report gave morning to early afternoon hours, but timings depend on the caretaker, so go before noon.
Are there still Armenians in Chennai?
Only a handful. The News Minute counted six in 2018.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Draft List of Heritage Buildings in CMA (Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority)
- The bells toll again: Chennai revives its Armenian link (The News Minute, February 2018)
- Armenian church in Madras (Hetq, reprinted from Deccan Chronicle, June 2012)
- There is more than just one Armenian Street (Sriram V, May 2024)
- Those were the days: White imprints on Black Town (DT Next, October 2022)
