Inaugurated in July of 1892, the Madras High Court is one of only three in courts modern India that were established by royal charter under Queen Victoria. Architecturally, it’s one of the city’s most stunning examples of the Indo-Saracenic aesthetic, displaying Moorish, European, Islamic, and Hindu elements in its red sandstone facade.
Situated in Chennai’s Mylapore neighborhood, this temple was constructed in 1952 by a devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba, a 19th-century saint who preached compassion, love, and religious tolerance. It's but one of many temples to the saint across India and the oldest Sai Baba temple in Chennai.
Auroville was birthed in the late 1960s by Mirra Alfassa, known to her followers as “The Mother,” as a global township in which people from across the world could live in harmony. Today, the UNESCO-recognized project has a population of over 2,000 people from dozens of countries, including many second- and third-generation Aurovillians.
Madurai's centerpiece attraction is the Meenakshi Amman Temple, a huge temple complex that mostly dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries (though some parts are older). It's dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi (a form of Parvati), who is a consort of Shiva—the destroyer in the Hindu trinity—in his Sundareswarar form.
Built in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style, the Ripon Building serves as the headquarters of the Corporation of Chennai, the oldest municipal body of the Commonwealth outside Great Britain. The highlight of the structure is the 8-foot (2.5-meter) clock, known as the Westminster Chiming Clock, on the building’s central tower.
Built in 1636, today Thirumalai Nayak Palace may be just a quarter of the size of the original structure, but it’s still a vast complex that showcases grand Dravidian-Islamic architecture. From its large central courtyard flanked by huge 66-foot (20-meter) columns, to the throne room topped with a 70-foot (21-meter) dome, everything here is on a grand scale. The palace fell into disrepair not long after it was built, but was restored to its former glory in the 1860s.
Built for Armenian traders in India in 1712, the Armenian Church, also known as the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary, is among the oldest churches in the country. Though it no longer functions as a house of worship, the church is still maintained as a historical attraction and is funded by the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Occupying 10 acres (4 hectares) in a quiet wooded area outside Chennai, Cholamandal Artists’ Village is the largest self-supporting artists’ village in India. Home to two dozen painters and sculptors, the commune is an excellent place to feel the pulse of Chennai’s contemporary arts scene.
Established in 1855 as the Madras Zoo and launched at its current location south of Chennai in 1985, the Arignar Anna Zoological Park is India’s first public zoo. Home to over 170 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, the zoological park is also the largest in the country. It runs a rescue center that rehabilitates animals—including lions and tigers—freed from exploitation.
Valluvar Kottam was constructed in 1976 as a shrine in memory of poet Thiruvalluvar, author of Thirukkural, a collection of more than a thousand rhyming Tamil couplets that expound simplicity of life and set a moral code for his followers. Thiruvalluvar lived and wrote during the first century BC in what is now Chennai.
Situated near Elliot's Beach, the colorful Ashtalakshmi Temple was constructed in the mid-1970s to honor the Hindu goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. The multitiered structure features images of the goddess in her eight forms, with shrines spread over four floors accessible by steep and narrow staircases.
Just south of Chennai, the heritage village of DakshinaChitra, was established to help preserve the folk art and cultural traditions of southern India. Artisans trained in traditional techniques work right on the property, making pots, baskets, woven silk pieces, puppets and stone carvings that visitors can purchase directly.
One of six buildings comprising the Chennai Government Museum, the National Art Gallery is among the most prominent painting galleries in India. Housed in a restored red sandstone Indo-Saracenic building designed by a British architect, the museum exhibits paintings by traditional and modern artists, in addition to sculptures, handicrafts, and ancient manuscripts.
Locally known as "the Kirk" (Scottish for "the church"), St. Andrew's Church in Chennai was built in 1821 for Scottish Presbyterians in the British Army, and today most of its clergy are from India. It was modeled after St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London and features Palladian architecture, complete with pillars with Corinthian capitals.
The George Town neighborhood of Chennai is centered around the 17th-century Fort St. George. Here you'll find many of the city's historic buildings, including the fort itself, which now houses the Chennai High Court. George Town also boasts colorful markets that tourists can visit independently or as part of a walking tour.
One of the three “Living Temples” protected by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites (along with Airavatesvara and Gangaikonda Cholapuram temples), Brihadisvara Temple has been a site of Shiva worship in Tamil Nadu for over a millennium. Built in the 11th century during South India’s Chola dynasty, it still draws millions of devotees each year, while tourists come to admire its intricate stone carvings.
For almost three centuries, Gangaikonda Cholapuram served as the capital of the Chola Empire, which once stretched from southern India to Sri Lanka. Today, this city in Tamil Nadu is known for the grandeur of its Chola-built architectural landmarks. Among them, the Brihadisvara Temple—still a place of active Shiva worship—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and most revered.
Dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni Church is a Roman Catholic church located on the coast south of Tamil Nadu, in the town of Velankanni. The structure as it stands today was consecrated in 1962 and granted the status of a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII.
A Chennai theme park designed for family fun, MGM Dizzee World has rides for children and adults including a log ride, a Ferris wheel, and a double-loop roller coaster. In addition to carnival rides, a water-park area features a wave pool and a swimming pool with slides, and shows entertain park visitors in season.
VGP Snow Kingdom is an indoor, snow-themed entertainment park, where visitors can experience the thrill of playing in the snow any day of the year. In addition to snowball fights and watching snowflakes fall, activities include “mountain” summiting, toboggan rides, and even photo sessions with props such as igloos and polar animals.
Situated on the southern outskirts of Chennai, peaceful Kovalam Beach (Covelong Beach) offers visitors a cleaner, quieter alternative to urban Marina Beach, with a host of water sports options to boot. The beach is named after the small fishing village where it’s found and occupies the former site of a Dutch fort by the same name.
The Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, also known as the Thousand-Pillar Hall, is a museum inside the Meenakshi Amman Temple complex in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Highlights include 1,000 individually carved pillars, frescoed ceilings, and a massive statue of Nataraja, the god Shiva in his dancing form.
Popular with families, VGP Universal Kingdom is India’s first and largest theme park, featuring a mix of water adventures, theme rides, and quirky attractions. Here you’ll find all sorts of slides, rafting adventures, and pools, along with shows, a beach area, and plenty of rides for toddlers and older visitors alike.
Measuring 112 feet (34 meters) tall, the Adiyogi Shiva Statue on the outskirts of Coimbatore is, according to Guinness World Records, the largest bust sculpture in the world. It was designed and commissioned by Sadhguru, a famous spiritual leader who heads up the Isha Foundation.
Believed to be the oldest church in Chennai, Luz Church (Shrine of Our Lady of Light) was built in 1516 by Franciscan missionaries from Portugal. The Gothic and baroque structure, besides being one of the oldest European monuments in India, is also a classic example of Portuguese colonial church architecture.
