Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu is a popular tourist destination for people who travel to South India. There are a number of travel attractions in Chennai, including temples, gardens, museums, caves, beaches, churches, wildlife parks, etc. All these attractions make Chennai a perfect gateway of South India.
Vivekananda House & Museum
The state government had leased this building to Sri Ramakrishna Mission. It is an imposing structure on the Marina beach along the South Beach Road. In 1897 Swami Vivekananda visited this city and stayed in this historic building in the year 1897 on his way to Calcutta, after his acclaimed speech at Chicago for the Parliament of Religions. The Government took over the building in 1930 and in 1963 it was named after Vivekananda. Photographs depicting the historical happenings associated with his life and books about him and his own written works are on display and sold here in the Museum.
Gudiyam Caves
The Gudiyam Caves are situated about 17 kms. behind Poondi reservoir in Chennai. Except some adventurous trekkers and the stout villagers, hardly anyone goes here. The reason is its tough terrain that takes 4 kms. of walk by foot. These prehistoric natural caves are evidence of the primitive tools that our ancestors had used.
Elliot's Beach
The Elliot beach is a calmer and quieter beach. It is an ideal place for lazy lounging and picnicking on your travel holidays in Chennai. The beach is situated near Adayar and the sea is safe for swimming.
Fort St. George and St. Mary's Church
Fort St. George is the first fortress of British power in India and was built in 1654 and remodeled in 1749. The fort has a six-meter tall wall that withstood many invasions by Mughals in 1701, Marathas in 1741 and Hyder Ali during the late 18th century. Now the fort is turned into the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
The St. Mary church was built in 1678-80 and was the first English church in Chennai. There are reminders in the church of Robert Clive, who married here in 1753.
Government Museum and National Art Gallery
The Government Museum at Chennai is one of the finest museums in India. It has sections devoted to anthropology, botany, geology, numismatics, sculpture and zoology. The relics from the 2nd century AD Buddhist site 'Amaravati' and the souvenirs of the prehistoric South India are the most prized assets of the museum. The museum has a vast collection of carvings of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. There's also a good collection of South Indian musical instruments and jewelry, that are worth seeing. The bronze gallery that has a superb collection of ancient icons and modern bronzes are really lucrative.
The Art Gallery at Chennai has a fine collection of paintings, handicrafts and bronze. The collection is housed in a Mughal style building. Bronzes from 10th and 13th century, Rajasthan and Mughal paintings from 16th and 17th century and Indian handicrafts from 11th and 12th century are displayed here.
Kapaleswar Temple
The ancient Kapaleshwar temple, situated in Mylapore, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The fragmented inscriptions here dates back to 1250 AD. But the present temple was rebuilt by Vijayanagar Kings in the 16th century. The magnificent 37m carved 'Gopuram' of gods, goddesses and saints depict important 'Puranic' legends.
Marina Beach
This popular beach runs for 12 km and is the second longest beach in the world. The beach drive runs between magnificent stately buildings like the Chetpauk Palace, University of Madras, Icehouse etc. on one side and a very wide sandy beach on the other. The aquarium is at the beginning of the beach, is another important attraction near the beach.
San Thom Cathedral
Built in 1504 and rebuilt in 1608 and 1893, the cathedral is said to house the remains of Apostle St. Thomas. The basilica has an tremendously stained glass window and a beautiful one-meter statue of Virgin Mary that was brought from Portugal in 1543.
Sri Parthasarathy Temple
One of the oldest surviving temples in Chennai, the Sri Parthasarathy temple was built by the Pallavas in the 8th century, the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The Vijayanagar rulers renovated it in the 16th century. During the 16th and 17th centuries, this temple was the scene of many battles and Golconda, Dutch and French occupied the temple at various times. This is one of the oldest surviving temples in Chennai.
Valluvar Kottam
This befitting memorial for the poet-sage Thiruvalluvar, a replica of the famed temple chariot of 'Thiruvaroor', was built in 1976. The life size statue of the sage sits in the 33m chariot with 1330 couplets of Thirukkural inscribed on the panels.
Covelong Beach
Located at a distance of 40 km from Chennai, Covelong is a refreshing beach. It is a quiet peaceful village away from the Hustle Bustle of Chennai. A best weekend travel getaway from the busy city life, Covelong is famous for its fishing activities.
Anna Zoological Park
This Zoological park is situated on the outskirts of Chennai and is created out of the Reserve Forests of Vandalur to the west of Chennai. In 1855 the first Zoo in India was established in Chennai, near the Central Station. In 1979, this zoo was shifted to the 510-hectare sprawling location. It presently occupies the slope of a hill. This Zoological Park is said to be one of the biggest in the South East Asia. More than 170 species of mammals, birds and reptiles can be seen here. The lion safari, the elephant ride, and battery-operated vehicles take you around the park.
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