British Architecture Walk in Chennai by Wonder tours

Ripon Building

Designed by G.S.T. Harris. and built by Loganatha Mudaliar, the Ripon building is named after Lord Ripon, a Governor-General of British India who was famously known as the father of local self-government in Chennai. Today this building is the office of Mayor of Chennai.

Chennai Central Railway Station

Today, this station handles more than 350000 passengers every day. The Central Railway Station was built in 1873 in Gothic Revival style by British architect George Harding. It was modified by Robert Chisholm who added the central clock tower and Travancore caps on the main towers.

We next walk to the headquarters of Southern Railways in India. Built in Indo–Saracenic style, this building was designed by N. Grayson and built by Samynada Pillai. It was completed in the year 1921. The Southern Railway headquarters was one of the earliest buildings in India to be built with reinforced concrete.

Victory War Memorial

The Victory War Memorial, formerly called the Cupid’s bow, is a memorial constructed to commemorate the victory of the Allied Armies during World War I (1914–1918). It later became the victory war memorial for World War II (1939–1945), erected in the memory of those from the Madras presidency who lost their lives in the wars.

Fort St. George

We will visit St Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church of India. We will also visit a quaint museum rich with relics of the colonial times.British Architecture Walk in Chennai brings us to Fort Saint George, the first English Fortress built in 1644 by the East India Company. There is a 14.5 ft tall statue of Lord Cornwallis in front of the museum, which is a masterpiece. Note, the museum is closed on Fridays. Fort St. George is currently the headquarters of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamilnadu.

Napier Bridge

The narrow bridge was broadened and converted into a concrete structure and was opened to general public in July 1943. This bridge is often used by Media to represent the city of Chennai! Napier Bridge was built in 1869 across the Coovum river and is named after the British governor of Fort St George, Francis Napier. It connects the Marina to the Fort St George.

University of Madras

This masterpiece was constructed between April 1874 and 1879. It has a convocation hall, porticos, a parapet, meeting halls and a library.The Senate House is the administrative center of the University of Madras. It is situated along the Marina Beach. Constructed by Robert Chisholm , the Senate building is considered a great example of the Indo-Saracenic style with a harmonious blend of Byzantine architectural features.