Fort St. George – Chennai, India - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Fort St. George

Chennai, India

The first English fort built in India.  

View all photos
Fort St. George L. Vivian Richard
Fort St. George L. Vivian Richard
Western entrance of Fort St. George, an engraving, 1881 Unknown author / Public domain (Public Domain)
62
60
Top Places in Chennai
Ramanujan Museum
Chennai, India
San Thome Basilica
Chennai, India
Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Chennai, India
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Fort St. George with additional information or photos.

The East India Company built the fort in 1640. The structure was named Fort St. George after the Patron Saint of England. It would soon become the center of English activities, leading to a massive amount of growth and trade in the region. The city of Chennai itself (known as Madras during the period) was sparsely inhabited at the time and grew around the fort.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Delhi and Rajasthan: Colors of India

Discover Colorful Rajasthan: From Delhi to Jaipur and Beyond.
Book Now
forts
Community Contributors
s
Added by
sriramgopalan
SamM
h
Edited by
SamM, hibbysam
Published
July 22, 2019
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
Burma Bazaar
0.94 miles
Ramanujan Museum
2.35 miles
San Thome Basilica
3.24 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Chennai, India

Burma Bazaar

A gray market run by Burmese Indians offers a portal to a forgotten period in history.
Chennai, India

Ramanujan Museum

One-room museum dedicated to India's most enigmatic mathematician.
Exterior, arches
Chennai, India

San Thome Basilica

This Gothic-style church is reputedly built atop the remains of one of Jesus's apostles.
The painted and carved gopuram (temple tower)
Chennai, India

Kapaleeshwarar Temple

The painted and decorated towers of this Hindu shrine were once the tallest structures in one of the oldest cities in India.
Related Places
Oxford, Massachusetts

Oxford Huguenot Fort

Solitary stone structures and a tale of tragedy are all that remains of a historic settlement built by French Protestant refugees.
Auckland, New Zealand

Maungauika (North Head)

Walk through abandoned anti-Russian military tunnels on this volcano at the head of Auckland Harbor.
Altit, Pakistan

Altit Fort

The history of the oldest fort in Baltistan is steeped in familial rivalry and gruesome deaths.
Bale, Croatia

Fort Forno

A strategically positioned fortress that protected the Fazana channel has found new life as a place for theater.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web