Chennai is home to many buildings with having a rich heritage. Famous milestones in the history of Chennai as a City and India as a whole is intertwined with these buildings. Most of them have an inseparable connection to the Indian Freedom Struggle.
Below is a list of Heritage Buildings within the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA). This must not be mixed with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) sites in Chennai. This list has been prepared by the planning body of the Chennai Metropolitan Region which is the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). If you are in Chennai a visit to these places might be worthwhile.
The structures are categorized into three grades, namely, Grades I, II, and III. Grade I structures will be prime landmarks upon which no alterations will be permitted. Under Grade II, external changes on structures will be subject to scrutiny. Buildings under Grade III may be changed for ‘adaptive reuse’ with suitable internal and external changes.
How are Heritage Buildings Identified / Shortlisted
The three key concepts need to be understood to determine whether a property is worthy of listing
- Historic significance
- Historic integrity
- Historic context
Historic significance is the importance of a property to the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture of a community, region or nation.
S.No. | Name of the Building | Grade |
1 | Anderson church, NSC Bose Road, Parrys. | Grade I |
2 | Armenian Church, Armenian Street, Parrys. | Grade I |
3 | Church of Our Lady of Light (Luz Church), Luz Church Road, Mylapore. | Grade I |
4 | City Civil Court Building, NSC Bose Road, Park Town. | Grade I |
5 | Dandeeswara Temple, Velachery. | Grade I |
6 | Dare House, NSC Bose Road, Parrys. | Grade I |
7 | General Post Office, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade I |
8 | Gokhale Hall, Armenian Street, Parrys. | Grade I |
9 | Kapaleeshwar Temple, North Mada Street, Mylapore. | Grade I |
10 | Lazarus Church – Our Lady of Guidance Church, Lazarus Church road, Mylapore. | Grade I |
11 | Madras Club (Moubray’s Cupola), Adyar Club Gate road. | Grade I |
12 | Madras Engineering College – Main Building – Anna University, Sardar Patel Road, Guindy. | Grade I |
13 | Madras High Court, NSC Bose Road, Parrys. | Grade I |
14 | Marundeeswarar Temple, Sannadhi Street, Thiruvanmiyur. | Grade I |
15 | Muthukumaraswami Temple, (Kandakottam) Rasappa Chetty Street, Park Town. | Grade I |
16 | Royapuram Railway Terminal, Royapuram. | Grade I |
17 | St. Columban’s High School, Mclean street, Parrys. | Grade I |
18 | State Bank of India, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade I |
19 | Theosophical Society – Headquarters Building, Besant Avenue, Besant Nagar. | Grade I |
20 | Young Men’s Christian Association, North Beach Road, Parrys. | Grade I |
21 | Binny Limited, Armenian Street, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
22 | Chenna Malleswarar and Chenna Keshsava Perumal temples, NSC Bose Road, Flower Bazaar, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
23 | Cornwallis Cupola, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
24 | CSI St. Thomas English Church, Santhome High Road, Santhome. | Grade IIa |
25 | CSI St. Thomas Tamil Church, Santhome High Road, Santhome. | Grade IIa |
26 | Dharmaraja Temple, Mundakaniamman koil Street, Mylapore | Grade IIa |
27 | Electrical Laboratory – Anna University, Sardar Patel Road, Guindy. | Grade IIa |
28 | Government Music College, Greenway’s Road, R.A.Puram. | Grade IIa |
29 | Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
30 | Jamalia Higher Secondary School, Perambur High Road, Perambur. | Grade IIa |
31 | Karneesvarar Temple, Mylapore. | Grade IIa |
32 | Katchleshwara Temple, Armenian Street, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
33 | King’s Institute of Preventive Medicine, Anna Salai, Guindy. | Grade IIa |
34 | Kolavizhi Amman Temple, Mylapore. | Grade IIa |
35 | Madhava Perumal Temple, Madhava Perumal koil Street,Mylapore. | Grade IIa |
36 | Metropolitan Magistrates Court, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
37 | Mundakanniamman Temple, Mundakaniamman koil Street, Mylapore | Grade IIa |
38 | Mylapore Hindu Permanent Fund Limited, South Mada street, Mylapore. | Grade IIa |
39 | Our lady of Lourdes Church, Paper Mills Road, Perambur. | Grade IIa |
40 | Pachiappa’s college Higher Secondary School & Hall, NSC Bose Road, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
41 | Reserve Bank of India, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
42 | Seven Wells Market, Govindappan Naicken street, Parrys. | Grade IIa |
43 | St. Bede’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Santhome High Road, Santhome. | Grade IIa |
44 | St. Theresa Church, Nungambakkam High road, Nungambakkam. | Grade IIa |
45 | St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Stringers street, Broadway. | Grade IIa |
46 | Teacher’s Training College, Anna Salai, Saidapet. | Grade IIa |
47 | Theosophical Society – Blavatsky Bungalow, Besant Avenue, Besant Nagar. | Grade IIa |
48 | Traffic Engineering Building – Anna University, Sardar Patel Road, Guindy. | Grade IIa |
49 | Tuckers church, Prakasham street, Broadway. | Grade IIa |
50 | Valeeswarar Temple, Mylapore. | Grade IIa |
51 | Wesleyan Chapel, Prakasam Street, Broadway. | Grade IIa |
52 | William Charles Memorial Church, Davidson Street. | Grade IIa |
53 | Adams Building, NSC Bose Road, Sowcarpet, Parrys. | Grade IIb |
54 | Annal Ambedkar Ninaivakam, Greenways Road, R.A.Puram. | Grade IIb |
55 | Anna Square, Kamarajar Salai, Chepauk. | Grade IIb |
56 | Audio Visual Research Centre – Anna University, Sardar Patel Road, Guindy. | Grade IIb |
57 | Birla Planetarium, Gandhi Mandapam Road, Kotturpuram. | Grade IIb |
58 | Catholic Centre, Armenian Street, Parrys. | Grade IIb |
59 | Gandhi Mandapam, Sarder Patel Road, Guindy. | Grade IIb |
60 | Gordon & Wqoodroffe Building, Rajaji Salai, Parrys. | Grade IIb |
61 | Kadumbadi Chinnaman Koil, Saidapet West. | Grade IIb |
62 | MGR Memorial, Kamarajar Salai, Chepauk. | Grade IIb |
63 | Perumalpet 24 hrs Hospital, Kariappa street, Purasawalkam. | Grade IIb |
64 | Lakshmi Narayana Prasanna Ramasamy Perumal Thirukoil, M R Nagar, Erukencherry, Kodungaiyur. | Grade III |
65 | Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Vellala Street, Purasawalkam. | Grade III |
66 | Vempadi Vinayagar Temple, vaikakaran street,Purasawalkam. | Grade III |
67 | Addison’s, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
68 | Agurchand Mansions, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
69 | Anatomy Block, Madras Medical College, E.V.R. Periyar Salai. | Grade I |
70 | Bharathiyar Illam, Triplicane. | Grade I |
71 | C.S.I Egmore Wesley Church, P.H. Road. | Grade I |
72 | Chennai Central Railway Station, E.V.R. Periyar Salai, Park Town. | Grade I |
73 | Chennai Egmore Railway Station, Gandhi-Irwin Road , Egmore. | Grade I |
74 | Christ Church, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
75 | Church of Christ The King, Loyola College Campus, Nungambakkam. | Grade I |
76 | Connemara Hotel, Binny Road. | Grade I |
77 | Connemara Public Library, Pantheon Road, Egmore. | Grade I |
78 | Curzons & Company, Walajah Road, Triplicane. | Grade I |
79 | Durgah Hazareth Syed Moosa Shash Khaderi, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
80 | Electric Theatre, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
81 | Gangadhareeswarar Temple, Gandhareswarar Kovil Street , Purasaiwakkam. | Grade I |
82 | Gove Buildings, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
83 | Higginbothams, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
84 | HumayunMahal – Chepauk Palace Complex, Chepauk. | Grade I |
85 | Government Veterinary College, Vepery. | Grade I |
86 | Memorial Hall , E.V.R. Periyar Salai, Park Town. | Grade I |
87 | National Art Gallery, Pantheon Road, Egmore. | Grade I |
88 | National Shrine of St.Thomas Basilica, Santhome High Road, Santhome | Grade I |
89 | Old Mint(Government Printing Press) – Administrative Block, Mint Street. | Grade I |
90 | P.ORR & Sons, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
91 | Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane. | Grade I |
92 | Presidency College, Kamarajar Salai , Triplicane. | Grade I |
93 | Ripon Building, E.V.R. Periyar Salai, Park Town. | Grade I |
94 | Schmidt Memorial, Besant Nagar. | Grade I |
95 | Senate House – University of Madras, KamarajarSalai, Chepauk. | Grade I |
96 | Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Vepery High Road. | Grade I |
97 | Southern Railway HeadQuarters,E.V.R. Periyar Salai, Park Town | Grade I |
98 | St. Andrews Kirk, E.V.R. Periyar Salai, Egmore. | Grade I |
99 | St. George’s Cathedral, Cathedral Road. | Grade I |
100 | St.Mathias Church, Hunters Road, Vepery | Grade I |
101 | Tamil Nadu Archives Historical Research Centre, Gandhi Irwin Road, Egmore | Grade I |
102 | Thousand Lights Assembly Hall, Anna Salai. | Grade I |
103 | Victoria Public Hall, E.V.R. Periyar Salai, Park Town. | Grade I |
104 | Wallajah Big Mosque, Triplicane High Road, Triplicane | Grade I |
105 | Madras – I –Azam,Anna Salai. | Grade IIa |
106 | Streling Gardens (Railway Bungalow), Sterling Road, Nungambakkam. | Grade IIa |
107 | St Ebba’s Girls Higher Secondary School, Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore. | Grade IIb |
108 | Ameerunnisa Begum Sahib Mosque, Triplicane High Road. | Grade I |
109 | Chettinad Palace, Greenways Road, Adyar. | Grade I |
110 | Church Of Our Lady Health, Little Mount. | Grade I |
111 | Church Of the Holy Rosary, Rosary Church Road. | Grade I |
112 | CSI Zion Church, Arunachalam Street, Chindadripet. | Grade I |
113 | Director General of Police’s Office, Kamarajar Salai. | Grade I |
114 | Doveton House – Womens Christian College, College Road, Nungambakkam. | Grade I |
115 | Government Opthalmic Hospital – Elliots School of Opthalmology, Rukmani Lakshmipathi Road, Egmore. | Grade I |
116 | Government Opthalmic Hospital – Lawley Block, Rukmani Lakshmipathi Road, Egmore. | Grade I |
117 | Ice House (Vivekananda Illam), Marina Beach. | Grade I |
118 | Law College, Madras High Court Complex, N.S.C. Bose Road. | Grade I |
119 | Kilpauk Medical College, Poonamallee High Road | Grade I |
120 | Madras Museum Complex, Pantheon Road, Egmore | |
121 | Government Museum Main Building | Grade I |
122 | Government Museum Theatre | Grade I |
123 | Centenary Exhibition Hall | Grade I |
124 | Madras Sanskrit College, Thiruvikka High Road, | Grade I |
125 | Prasanna Venkatesha Narasimha Perumal Temple, Perumal Koil Street, Saidapet. | Grade I |
126 | Periamet Mosque, Sydenhams Road. | Grade I |
127 | Queen Mary’s College, Kamarajar Salai (South Beach Road). | Grade I |
128 | Raj Bhavan, Guindy. | Grade I |
129 | Rajaji Hall, Omandurar Govt. Estate. | Grade I |
130 | Residence of the Nawab of Arcot – Amir Mahal, Pycrofts Road, Royapettah. | Grade I |
131 | The Hindu Higher Secondary School, Big Street, Triplicane. | Grade I |
132 | The Mail, Anna Salai | Grade I |
133 | Thousand Lights Mosque, Peters Road, Off Mount Road, Royapettah. | Grade I |
134 | Tiruvalluvar Temple, Tiruvalluvar Koil Street, Mylapore. | Grade I |
135 | University of Madras – Library, South Beach Road, Kamarajar Salai. | Grade I |
136 | Victoria Students Hostel, Victoria Hostel Road, Triplicane. | Grade I |
137 | Young Women’s Christian Association, Poonamallee High Road. | Grade I |
138 | Adhipureeswarar Adhi Kesava Perumal Temple, Chindadripet. | Grade IIa |
139 | Anwari Mosque, Big Street, Triplicane. | Grade IIa |
140 | Cosmopolitan Club, Anna Salai. | Grade IIa |
141 | F1 Police Station, Arunachala Naickan Street, Chindadripet. | Grade IIa |
142 | Freemasons Hall, Ethiraj Salai, Egmore. | Grade IIa |
143 | Government Women Children Hospital Complex, Pantheon Road, Egmore | |
144 | Assistant Resident Medical Officer Quarters | Grade IIa |
145 | Female Ward | Grade IIa |
146 | Gifford School | Grade IIa |
147 | Gynaecology ‘G’ Ward | Grade IIa |
148 | H Operation Theatre | Grade IIa |
149 | Nurses Quarters | Grade IIa |
150 | Out Patient Block | Grade IIa |
151 | Resident Medical Officer Quarters | Grade IIa |
152 | Goschen Hall (Vijayarayalu Chetty Hall), Arunachala Naiken Street, Chindadripet | Grade IIa |
153 | Jandha Mosque, Bharathi Salai, Triplicane. | Grade IIa |
154 | Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for women and children, Pycrofts Road. | Grade IIa |
155 | Leith Castle, Leith Castle Street, Santhome. | Grade IIa |
156 | Madras Cricket Club(existing Squash Ladder Room 1 (A.C.sheet), Existing Squash Ladder Room 2 (R.C.C), Existing Billiards Room (G+1), Laundry shed (A.C.Sheet) and its blocks along with MCC Office (Tile Roof)), Chepauk. | Grade IIa |
157 | Madras Museum Complex, Pantheon Road, Egmore | |
158 | Curator Residence | Grade IIa |
159 | Railway Higher Secondary School, Paper Mills Road. | Grade IIa |
160 | Railway Institute New Hall, Siruvallur Road, Perambur. | Grade IIa |
161 | Saint Valmikinathar Temple, East Coast Road, Thiruvanmiyur. | Grade IIa |
162 | St Paul’s Church, Hunters Road. | Grade IIa |
163 | Triplicane Police Station, Wallajah Road. | Grade IIa |
164 | Vasanta Vihar, Greenways Road, R.A.Puram. | Grade IIa |
165 | CSI Zion Church Nursery & Primary School, Arunachalam Street, Chindadripet. | Grade IIb |
166 | Madras Museum Complex, Pantheon Road, Egmore | |
167 | Museum Activity Centre | Grade IIb |
168 | Valluvar Kottam, Kodambakkam High Road. | Grade IIb |