Tourist Place In Chennai


Marina Beach

Marina Beach is a natural urban beach in the city of Chennai (Madras), India, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, a distance of 6.0 km (3.7 mi), making it the longest natural urban beach in the country and one of the world's longest beach ranking with 1. The Marina is primarily sandy, unlike the short, rocky formations that make up the Juhu Beach in Mumbai. The average width of the beach is 300 m (980 ft) and the width at the widest stretch is 437 m (1,434 ft). Bathing and swimming at the Marina Beach are legally prohibited because of the dangers, as the undercurrent is very turbulent. It is one of the most crowded beaches in the country and attracts about 30,000 visitors a day during weekdays and 50,000 visitors a day during the weekends and on holidays. During summer months, about 1,50,000 to 2,00,000 people visit the beach daily.


Covelong Beach

Covelong Beach is actually Kovalam beach that is located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal near a village named Covelong, Chennai, India. The British, unable to pronounce the name "Kovalam", conveniently named it Covelong. This is a fishing village 40 km from Chennai. Kovalam Beach is on the way to Mahabalipuram near the East Coast Road (popularly ECR). Kovalam Beach is one of the finest and beautiful beaches by nature. As it is near Chennai and is located on the way to Mahabalipuram, it is visited by thousands of people each day. Mostly the local crowd is higher in the beach. Fishing is the main occupation of the people here. Though the beach is famous, it is littered by tourists and the local people alike. Along with the beach, the village of Covelong, famous for its fishing activities draws many tourists. It is India's first surfing village. There are surfing schools here.


Fort St. George

Fort St George (or historically, White Town) is the name of the first English (later British) fortress in India, founded in 1644 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land. Thus, it is a feasible contention to say that the city evolved around the fortress. The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and other official buildings. The fort is one of the 163 notified areas (megalithic sites) in the state of Tamil Nadu.


San Thome Church

San Thome Basilica (Tamil: சாந்தோம் பேராலயம்) is a Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) minor basilica in Santhome, in the city of Chennai (Madras), India. It was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers, over the tomb of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. In 1893, it was rebuilt as a church with the status of a cathedral by the British. The British version still stands today. It was designed in Neo-Gothic style, favoured by British architects in the late 19th century. This church is one of the only three known churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus, the other two being St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain.


Sri Parthasarathy Temple

The Parthasarathy Temple is an 8th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to the god Krishna, located at Triplicane, Chennai, India. The temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil literature canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE and is classified as among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. The name 'Parthasarathy', in Sanskrit, means the 'charioteer of Arjuna', referring to Krishna's role as a charioteer to Arjuna in the epic Mahabaratha. It was originally built by the Pallavas in the 8th century by king Narasimhavarman I. The temple has icons of five forms of Vishnu: Narasimha, Rama, Gajendra Varadaraja, Ranganatha and Krishna. The temple is one of the oldest structures in Chennai. There are shrines for VedavalliThayar, Ranganatha, Rama, Gajendra Varadaraja, Narasimha, Andal, Hanuman, Alvars, Ramanuja, Swami Manavala Mamunigal and Vedanthachariar. The temple subscribes to Vaikhanasa agama and follows Thenkalai tradition. There are separate entrances for the Krishna and Narasimha temples. The gopuram (towers) and mandapas (pillars) are decorated with elaborate carvings, a standard feature of South Indian Temple Architecture.


Kapaleeshwar Temple

Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a temple of Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The form of Shiva's consort Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal is from Tamil, ("Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree"). The temple was built around the 7th century CE in Dravidian architecture. According to the Puranas, Shakti worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock, giving the vernacular name Mylai (Mayilāi) to the area that developed around the temple - mayil is Tamil for "peacock". Shiva is worshiped as Kapaleeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Karpagambal. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and four yearly festivals on its calendar. The Arubathimooval festival celebrated during the Tamil month of Panguni is the most prominent festival in the temple. The present masonry structure was built during the Vijayanagar rulers of the Tuluva Dynasty (1491–1570 CE). The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.


Vellankani Shrine

Just off the Elliot's Beach stands the AnnaiVailankanni Shrine which is much revered among both Christians and non-Christians. The pristine white structure of the church stands overlooking the Bay of Bengal and is visited by thousands of solace-seekers each day.


Thousand Lights Mosque

Another place to see in Chennai for its architectural magnificence is this mosque which holds a special place in the Shia community. A total of 1000 oil lamps light up the hall of the mosque. Its multi-domes and twin minarets enclose the main hallwhere men offer their prayers. There is a separate hall for the women.


Connemara Public Library

Constructed in late 19th century, Connemara library is a treasure house of centuries-old publications. With a collection of over 600,000 books, it is one of Asia's largest libraries. Connemara Public Library at Egmore in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is one of the four National Depository Libraries which receive a copy of all books, newspapers and periodicals published in India. Established in 1890, the library is a repository of centuries-old publications, wherein lie some of the most respected works and collections in the country. It also serves as a depository library for the UN.


Arignar Anna Zoological Park

Arignar Anna Zoologi cal Park (abbreviated AAZP), also known as the Vandalur Zoo, is a zoological garden located in Vandalur, a suburb in the southwestern part of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, about 31 kilometres (19 mi) from the city centre and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Chennai Airport. Its previous location was set up in 1855 and was the first public zoo in India. It is affiliated with the Central Zoo Authority of India. Spread over an area of 602 hectares (1,490 acres), including a 92.45-hectare (228.4-acre) rescue and rehabilitation centre, the park is the largest zoological park in India. The zoo houses 2,553 species of flora and fauna across 1,265 acres (512 ha). As of 2012 the park houses around 1,500 wild species, including 46 endangered species, in its 160 enclosures. As of 2016, there were about 47 species of mammals, 63 species of birds, 31 species of reptiles, 5 species of amphibians, 28 species of fishes, and 10 species of insects in the park. The park, with an objective to be a repository of the state's fauna, is credited with being the second wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu after Mudumalai National Park.


SemmozhiPoonga

Semmozhi Poonga (literally translated to "Classical Language Park") is a botanical garden in Chennai set up by the horticulture department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The garden was opened on 24 November 2010 by then chief Minister Dr.M. Karunanidhi and is the first botanical garden in the city. The garden is located in the Cathedral Road–Anna Salai junction, opposite the American Consulate, on the erstwhile Drive-in Woodlands Hotel. Encompassing an area of 20 acres (320 grounds),[2] it was built at a cost of ₹ 80 million. More than 500 species of plants are being grown in the area, in addition to the 80 trees that was already in existence during the development of the park, some of them being more than 100 years old. The garden houses some of the popular exotic flora and rare plant species, medicinal and aromatic herbs. Many of the exotic plants are imported from countries like China and Thailand, including a plethora of bonsai varieties of ficus microcarpa and ficus ginseng.


DakshinaChitra

This is one of the places to visit in Chennai with kids where they will be introduced to the South Indian culture of the past. DakshinaChitra ("a picture of the south") is a living-history museum in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, dedicated to South Indian heritage and culture. It is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the south of Chennai. Opened to the public on 14 December 1996, the museum was founded and is being managed by the Madras Craft Foundation (MCF). The MCF was established in 1984. Deborah Thiagarajan, an Indian art historian of American origin, governs the museum. The museum is built on 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land taken on a 33-year lease from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Developed as a heritage village, DakshinaChitra has an array of displays depicting the life pattern of Indians in the states of South India. The exhibits portray the living beliefs of art, folk performing-arts, craft and architecture of India, in particular of South Indian traditions.


Cholamandal Artist Village

Cholamandal Artists' Village, established in 1966, is the largest artists' commune in India. Its artists are credited for the Madras Movement of Art (1950s–1980s), which brought modernism to art in South India. Their work is widely recognized as some of the best art produced in postwar India and is shown regularly in galleries across the country. Several Cholamandal artists have also shown in Europe, the United States and South America. In the village Injambakkam, 9 km from Chennai, India, it has over 20 resident painters and sculptors, who live as a community and pool their skills. They run the Artists Handicrafts Association, a cooperative which manages the village and sale of works through the permanent exhibition at the complex, which includes paintings, sketches, terra-cotta/stone/metal sculptures, batiks and handicrafts etc., making the village a self-supporting entity. The community was founded by K. C. S. Paniker, the principal of the Madras School of Arts, along with his students and a few artists associated with the college. It used the `art-meets-craft' approach where artists made handicrafts for a living as they pursued their art. By the 1970s, the village became self-sufficient and grew into one of the most important meeting places for international artists in India. Today, it is one of the few artist-driven movements in India. Four decades on, it is one of the few artists' colonies in the world to survive successfully and its foundation remains one of the "10 biggest art moments" in India.


Guindy National Park and Snake Park

Guindy National Park is a 2.70 km2 (1.04 sq mi) Protected area of Tamil Nadu, located in Chennai, South India, is the 8th smallest National Park of India and one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, formerly known as the 'Guindy Lodge', the official residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, India. It extends deep inside the governor's estate, enclosing beautiful forests, scrub lands, lakes and streams. At Children's park/Guindy National Park, Chennai. The park has a role in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation and is home to 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deers, 24 jackals, a wide variety of snakes, geckos, tortoises and over 130 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, a wealth of different invertebrates—grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, and the like. These are free-ranging fauna and live with the minimal of interference from human beings. The only major management activity is protection as in any other in-situ conservation area. The park attracts more than 700,000 visitors every year.


Birla Planetarium

B. M. Birla Planetarium is a large planetarium in Chennai providing a virtual tour of the night sky and holding cosmic shows on a specially perforated hemispherical aluminium inner dome. It is located at Kotturpuram in the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus which houses eight galleries, namely, Physical Science, Electronics and Communication, Energy, Life Science, Innovation, Transport, International Dolls and Children and Materials Science, with over 500 exhibits. Built in 1988 in the memory of the great industrialist and visionary of India B. M. Birla, it is the most modern planetarium in India. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India, viz., the one in Kolkata known as M. P. Birla Planetarium and the other in Hyderabad, Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore.


Muttukadu

A backwater area of the Bay of Bengal, Muttukadu is one of the tourist places near Chennai where one can get to indulge in water sports. Get a glimpse of various species of birds at the backwaters during migratory season. Rowing, water skiing, speed boat riding, wind surfing and paddle boating are possible in Muttukadu.


Mahabalipuram

Famed for its ancient mountains, Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram, is one of the places to visit near Chennai. Placed around 60 km south from the city of Chennai, it was once a busy seaport during the dynasty of the Pallavas. The iconic Shore Temple, among the oldest temples of South India, is carved out of a large block of granite.


Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Kanchipuram

This bird sanctuary is inundated with thousands of birds of varied species during the migratory season. The lake within the sanctuary is the all important source of water for these creatures, around which they build their nests and thrive.


Pulicat Lake & Bird Sanctuary

Formed by the backwaters of the Bay of Bengal, Pulicat is the second largest lagoon in India that has brackish water. And the bird sanctuary stands on a piece of land in the middle of this lake.


Tirupati

Tirumala's Venkatesawara temple is one of the most important, most visited and richest pilgrimage sites in India. The main temple dedicated to Lord Venkatesawara, a form of the Hindu god Vishnu, is located on the Tirumala Hill. But one cannot miss the evergreen ornate heaven beyond the hillocks of the Tirumala TirupatiDevasthanam that is the TTD Gardens.