Incredible India

CHENNAI

Called the ‘Cultural Capital of India’ for its deep-rooted traditions and age-old heritage, Chennai also has a young heart. It has grown into a charming city within a span of just over 350 years. Gaining recognition when, in 1639, Francis Day and Andrew Cogan, agents of the English East India Company, acquired a strip of land, called Chennapatnam on lease from the Vijayanagar King. Fort St. George that serves as the Government Secretariat today, was built to set up a factory serving as a nucleus for British settlements. The city was known as Madras till 1996 and later renamed as Chennai. Today this buoyant metropolis is a blend of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern. Spread over 200 sq km with the Bay of Bengal on the east, the city is the gateway to the rest of South India.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS

Semmozhi Poonga

Semmozhi Poonga is the first botanical garden in Chennai. It is on Cathedral Road. It has all types of plant species and some plants are also imported from other countries

Kapaleeswarar Temple

The Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built approximately in seventh century. The Gopuram inside the temple marks as a unique example of Dravidian architectural style.

Santhome Cathedral Basilica

The church was first builtby Portuguese explorers in the 16th century, became a cathedral in 1606, and was later rebuilt by the British in the 19th century.

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DEEP DIVE IN CHENNAI

FOOD AND CUISINE

ART & CRAFT

THINGS TO DO

HOW TO GET HERE?

Air

Chennai has two airports: International and Domestic. Both terminals, Anna International Airport & Kamaraj Domestic Terminal, are located at Tirusulam, about 20 km from the city centre.

Rail

Chennai Central & Egmore Station are the two major stations connecting Chennai to major parts of the country. Several super-fast, express & mail trains run regularly to different parts of the country.

Road

Chennai is connected by roads & national highways with all the important places within the state & other parts of India. Bus services are availed from Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminal.

PLACES TO STAY IN CHENNAI