Fort St George also known as White Town Historically is the first English fortress in India. It was founded in the year 1644 in Chennai then called Madras. The area where the fort was constructed was a no man's land before the construction of the fort but later trading activitiesand further settlements in this area was increased. It can be said that once the fort was constructed the city evolved surrounding the fort. From January 31st, 1948, the museum of the Fort St. George was opened for the public. The museum contains some collection of articlesbelonging to the British Raj. These were denoted by the St. Mary's Church, Madras Presidency Government at that time, the disbanded army units etc. earlier there were less objects in the museum but with time mre objects were acquired and the number of registered antiquities in the museum has reached 3661 now. Out of them 602 are considered to be the best and are displayed in 10 galleries in the museum.

The building in which the museum is established is one of the oldest buildings of the fort surviving till date. There is a history associated with the museum building. It was constructed in the year 1795 and was the location for the Madras Bank.

History

When East India Company came to India in 1600 their main purpose was trading activities. It started licensed trading at its initial bastion, Surat, with the intention of securing its trade lines and commercial benefits in spice trade the requirement for a port near the Malaccan Straits became the necessity. Therefore East India Company purchased some coastal land which was originally known as Chennirayarpattinam or Channapatnam, from Damerla Chennappa Nayaka who was a Chandragiri based Vijayanagar chieftain. At this place the company started constructing a harbor along with a fort. The construction of the Fort was coincidentally completes on St George's Day (23 April 1644) which was celebrated in the honor of St George, the patron saint of England. Hence the fort was named as St George and became a pivot of the Merchant navy. The fort was sea facing and some fishing villages were surrounding it.A new settlement area was formed around the fort called as George Town and was referred as Black town in History. The villages started enveloping this settlement and finally the Madras city, presently known as Chennai was formed. This way English influence came on Carnatic and it also helped to keep the Pondicherry based French forces, kings of Srirangapatna and Arcot at bay.

The walls of the fort are six meter high and it has withstood so many attacks in the eighteenth century. The Fort came under the possession of the French for a brief period of time that is from the year 1746 to 1749.Under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle Great Britain restored the fort again due to which the War of the Australian succession also came to an end.

Currently the Fort is the administrative headquarters for Tamil Nadu’s state legislative assembly. The garrisons of troops in shipment to various other locations in Andamans and several parts of South India are still located in the fort. In the museum of the Fort many relics of the raj Era and the portraits of the Givernor of Madras are also included.

Architecture

Primarily, the architecture of the fort included two sections. These are St. Mary's Church and the Fort Museum. The St. Mary's Church is one of the oldest churches built by the British that is still surviving. It is the oldest Anglican Church in India. The building was established in the year 1680 and still erects with the same splendor facing the test of times since hundreds of years. The graveyard of the church has one of the oldest tombstones found in India. The Flagstaff which is one hundred and fifty ft tall is another mesmerizing structure here; It is made up of Teak wood. The relics of the flagstaff can still be seen while the original Flagstaff cannot be seen now. Popularly the church is known as the 'Westminster Abbey of the East'.

How to Reach

By Air

The Anna International Airport located in Chennai is well connected to all the main cities in India. The service is provided from Chennai to all the other cities by all the important airlines. The t0061is are available from the airport to Chennai central charging around Rs 250 to 300 as fare.

By Rail

There are three railway stations in Chennai. These are Tambaram, Central and Egmore. The main is the Chennai central which is well connected to all the cities.

By Road

The metro city of Chennai is well connected to roads to all the parts of India. The bus services are provided by private bus services and TSTC. From Bangalore, Cochin, Hyderabad, Coimbatore Deluxe Volvo bus services are provided.

Nearby Places to Visit

The Church

The St. Mary's Church is one of the oldest churches built by the British that is still surviving. It is the oldest Anglican Church in India. The building was established in the year 1680 and still erects with the same splendor facing the test of times since hundreds of years. The graveyard of the church has one of the oldest tombstones found in India. The church is known as the 'Westminster Abbey of the East' popularly.

Museum

From January 31st, 1948, the museum of the Fort St. George was opened for the public. The museum contains some collection of articles belonging to the British Raj. These were denoted by the St. Mary's Church, Madras Presidency Government at that time, the disbanded army units etc. earlier there were less objects in the museum but with time more objects were acquired and the number of registered antiquities in the museum has reached 3661 now. Out of them 602 are considered to be the best and are displayed in 10 galleries in the museum. The office of the Madras Bank was housed in the museum building first. The museum displays coins, weapons, medals, and other artifacts from Scotland, France and England soldiers belonging to the colonial period.

Wellesley House

The Banqueting hall is located at the first floor of the building. It holds the paintings of the high officials of the regime including the governor of the Fort. The ramparts of the museum are decorated with the cannons of Tipu Sultan. There also stands 14.5 feet high statute near the stairway of the museum. The statue was created by Charles Bank in England and was brought to India. The platform of the statue exhibits the scene showing Tipu Sultan’s envoy handling over to his two sons ashostage instead of the Ransom which he could not pay to the British. The name of the Wellesly House was on the name of Richard Wellesley who was the Governor General of India and Duke of Wellington’s brother.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

The climate of Chennai was hot and humid. It has typical tropical climate as other south Indian states have. The mercury rises to 40 °C during the summers. The average temperature during summers is around 37 °C and during winters it is 24 °C. The eastern part of the city is outlined by the bay of Bengal. Heavy rainfall is received in this region. The North eastern Monsoon brings the annual rainfall. The amount of annual rainfall received in the city is around 1300 mm. Sometimes the coastal regions of Chennai are also hit by the cyclones in the Bay of Bengal.

The best time to visit Chennai is during the winter season that lasts from November to February.

Accomodation

Hotel Raj Residency, Chennai

Hotel Raj Residency is which is situated in the center of the city is at a two minutes’ walk from the railway station of Egmore. It is at a drive of thirty minutes from the airport and from here all shopping malls, entertainment and commercial centers are easily accessible.

Address

Opp. Egmore Railway Station,
2(old 22),
Kennet Lane,
Egmore, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu, India

Hotel Crystal Residency, Chennai

This hotel is located at a drive of fifteen minutes from Egmore Railway station and the Central railway station. It is at a drive of twenty five minutes from the Airport. The hotel is at a close proximity to the American Consulate and the Gemini Fly Over.

Address

51/22,
Model School Road,
Thousand lights (Opp. to U.S. Consulate)
Chennai-600006
Tamil Nadu, India

Hotel Manhattan, Chennai

This hotel is located at the Marina Beach. From here the spectacular view of Bay of Bengal can be seen. It is at a drive of fifteen minutes from the Railway station and at twenty five minutes’ drive from railway station.

Address

No.1,
Dr.Radhakrshnan Salai,
Mylapore, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu, India

Timings and Tickets

Timings: Open From 10 am to 5 pm from Saturday to Thursday.

Tickets: For Indians: Rs. 5/-
For Others: US $ 2 or Rs. 100/-
(Children up to 15 years free)

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