CHENNAI MONUMENTS

Anna Square
Dr. C.N. Annadurai, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was a very respectable personality among the people of Tamil Nadu. The mortal remains of Dr. C.N. Annadurai were buried at Anna Square, which is situated at the northern end of the Marina Beach. Anna Square is a place of worship for people of Tamil Nadu. People from different parts of the state come here to pay their tribute to the great leader.

It is located in the center of a park and the entrance is extremely attractive. The beautiful arch is in the shape of twin converging elephant tusks. The tomb of Dr. C.N. Annadurai is flanked by imposing memorial pillar and eternal flame. People of Tamil Nadu affectionately called him 'Anna' meaning the elder brother. Today Anna Square is a scared place for the people of Tamil Nadu.

Fort St George
Fort St. George symbolises the beginning of British rule in India. Presently it is used as the offices of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly. Today, it is the commercial center of Chennai where the streets are crowded by the buyers and sellers of different goods.

Fort St. George, a creation of the British in the year 1640 marks the beginning of developing Madras (Chennai) as a modern city. It looks more like a complex of the well-maintained colonial mansions then a fort. It houses a place where Lord Clive - The establisher of British rule in India used to live. Fort St. George houses the tallest towering flagstaff in India. The building had been constructed in a typical English style of architecture of the 17th and 18th century. It once housed the British regiment mess and later the lighthouse.

Museum
The fort also holds a museum; the museum exhibits the items of the British rule. These Relics of the British rule are reminders of the pain suffered by the Indians. On the first floor of the building lies the banquet hall, which holds the paintings of the Governor of the Fort and other high officials of the Regime.

The Theosophical Society
Founded in 1875, The Theosophical Society is a worldwide body whose primary object is Universal Brotherhood based on the belief that life, and all its diverse forms, human and non-human, is indivisibly One. It offers discourse and meditation sessions as well as lectures on positive health and spirituality. It is famous for its legendary 5000 years old Banyan tree spreading over 40,000 sq ft in the campus.
Closed on Sundays.

Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam, the famous memorial of saint-poet Thiruvalluvar, at Nungambakkam, established in 1976. Shaped like a Chariot, this huge memorial hall is situated on the corner of Kodambakkam High Rd and Village Rd. The auditorium at Valluvar Kottam which can accommodation 4000 people is said to the largest in Asia. Valluvar Kottam replicates ancient Tamil architecture with the 1330 verse Kural inscribed on the granite pillars that surround this grand auditorium. Over 3,000 blocks of stone were used to create this memorial to Tamil culture. A life-size statue of the saint has been installed in the 39 metre tall chariot.
Timings : 8am to 5pm. Closed on Fridays and National Holidays.

MGR Film City
The most popular location for Chennai's flourishing Tamil Film Industry, the MGR Film City is a special delight. Situated at Taramani, Adyar, the film city is dedicated to the memory of the famous Tamil actor MG Ramachandran. Several sets of artificial sceneries like forest, water falls, market place etc, are built here to serve as background for the shooting of films.
Timings : 8 am to 8 pm. Phone : +91-044- 2352132. Entry fee is Rs 25.

Birla Planetarium
Built in memory of B.M.Birla, the well known industrialist and visionary, the Planetarium is considered to be the most modern in the country. It houses eight galleries - Physical Science, Electronics and Communication, Energy, Life Science, Innovation, Transport, International Dolls and Children and Materials Science. The Planetarium has a 236-seater hemispherical theatre which houses a computerised project to depict the skies and heavenly bodies on a hemispherical dome. This centrally air-conditioned complex also houses a sound studio, classroom and seminar hall. Adjoining the planetarium is the Periyar Science and Technology Museum which will be of interest to students and other science scholars. The Planetarium regularly conducts shows and there are seminars and workshops on astronomy which are held from time to time. It is located at Kotturpuram near Adyar.
Timing: For English Show, morning 10 am,1.15pm & 3.45 pm. Tamil version 12, 2.30 pm. Entrance fee - Adult: Rs.20,child Rs 10.

Tamilnadu Science & Technology Centre
Gandhi Mandapam Road (Behind CLRI)
Chennai- 600 025
Phone: 91-44 - 24410025 / 24416751 / 24915250

High Court Building
It is situated at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Road, just north of St.George fort. An example of Indo Saracenic architecture, this complex houses High Court, the Small Cause's Court and the City Civil Court. Built in 1892, under the guidance of the famed architect Henry Irwin, this building is believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world. The red sand stone construction, ornamental decorations on the walls, stained glass windows and minarets add beauty to this building. The compound has a pyramid shape tomb which belongs to the only son of Elihu Yale, who died in infancy. A fine example is Court No 13 which has stained glass, fretted wood work, carved furniture, silvered panels and a painted ceiling. Near the High Court building is the city's second lighthouse tower and the highest point in the Court building once housed the third lighthouse.
Entry - Monday to Saturday from 10 to 5 with guided tour Rs.10.

Places to See Around Chennai

Covelong
Located at a distance of 40 km from Chennai Covelong is a magical place to refresh you. It is a quiet peaceful village away from the Hustle Bustle of Chennai. A best weekend getaway from the busy city life, Covelong is famous for its fishing activities.

The salubrious village of Covelong is renowned for its fishing activities. In the fishing village the swaying palms and the beautiful beach attracts people from across the globe. The environs, ambience, peace, tranquillity and the infrastructure at the Covelong beach come together to make it one of the most popular beach resorts on the Coromandel Coast. In the yester years Covelong was the renowned port of the Nawabs of the Carnatic. On digging the past it is revealed that Saadat Ali, Nawab of Carnatic, built the ancient port of Covelong. In the year 1746 Covelong was taken over by the troops of the French General Laboudonnais and in 1752 destroyed by Clive.

For all you adventure seekers the breathtakingly beautiful beach of Covelong has an amazing array of sports activities like windsurfing, swimming and other water sports. The gentle sea and surf add to the charm of Covelong. The beautiful beach of Covelong lies in the lee of an ancient Dutch fort. A few walls of the fort remain in the form of ruins. Thus, besides the beauty of nature, the captivating destination of Covelong is dotted with the historical monuments likes forts, churches, mosques et al. thus the secular nature of the area. In its own way Covelong reveals the history of the state of Tamil Nadu. The ancient Catholic Church is a must visit amongst the many religious monuments at Covelong.

For those of you who feel holidays are for relaxing a cozy sunbath is the best bet. The experience of being in the serene and the pristine environs replenishes the energy and rejuvenates the soul in an incomparable manner. All kinds of accommodation facilities are available at covelong.

Cuddalore
Cuddalore is located at the east coast of Tamil Nadu at a distance of 192 km from Chennai. Cuddalore is well known for temples. During British rule it was a famous British trading port and post.

Poompuhar
Poompuhar is the ancient capital of Cholas. It is originally known as Kaveripoopattinam. The seven-storey museum gives a pictorial representation of Silappatikaram in bas-relief.

Parangi
Pettai is a small port town located at the distance of 25 km from Chidambaram. It is famous for the ruined Dutch cemetery and the Battlefield where British defeated Hayder Adli.

KancheePuram
The golden city of temples is one of the seven most famous holy cities of Hindu mythology. nearly at a distance of 76 km from Chennai. It was the capital of the Famous Pallavas during 6th-8th centuries. The weavers of Kancheepuram have been famous from ancient times for some of the best woven silk sarees in the world. It has also been the centre of culture and learning down the ages. Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest gurus of Hindu spirituality established his ashram here.

Mahabalipuram
South India is a land of temples; at the distance of 55 km from Chennai lie the famous place of Mahabalipuram. The Pallava dynasty of Southern India is one of the major lines of the kings to rule in India. They made the lovely sea -side village of Mahabalipuram their second capital. The place gained prosperity & glory during fifth and eighth centuries, thus many temples were constructed during this period. Now days Mahabalipuram is a famous tourist destination due to the shore temple, Arjuna's penance the largest bas relief in the world and the famous and beautiful mandapams.

Vellore
Vellore is a small mountainous town surrounded by the Hills of Western Ghats. Vellore is at a distance of 135 km from Chennai. Vellore is famous for its fort and the Christian Medical College.

Fort
The fort was built in 16th century by a Vijaynagar chieftain; it is a finest example of the Military architecture. For some time the Marathas occupied the fort and later the British took control of it after defeating Tipu Sultan in 1676. Inside the fort is located the Jalakanteswara Temple and several other buildings. The fort is situated in vellore.

Christian Medical College
One of the best hospitals in country, the Christian Medical College was started by a medical Missionary Dr. Ida Scuddar.