Top 5 Tourist Places in Chennai

Along India’s southern Coromandel coastline off of the Bay of Bengal lies Chennai, the country’s fourth largest city located in the state of Tamil Nadu. Being a hub of both culture and commerce, this metropolis attracts visitors all through the year. Colonial monuments, serene beaches, pious temples and historic landmarks are just some of the attractions. Here’s our pick of the tourist places in Chennai.

Marina Beach

Marina Beach is a 13-kilometre stretch of golden sands. The longest urban beach in the country, the beach is a recreational hub of the city and ranks amongst the top tourist places in Chennai. The atmosphere is electric with swarms of visitors and vendors creating a carnival-like ambience. An interesting point to note about Marina Beach is that swimming in the water isn’t legally permitted because of the turbulent undercurrents. Beyond the surf and sand, Marina Beach is also dotted with several monuments and statues of historical figures.

Kapaleeshwarar Temple

The 7^th century Kapaleeshwarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in Dravidian style architecture, the temple’s eastern entrance displays an impressive 40-metre high pillar with carvings of deities. Within the temple complex, there are several shrines and courtyards with figures of religious significance including a bull, chariot and an elephant. 

Madras Crocodile Bank

If you’re a fan of reptiles, the Madras Crocodile Bank won’t disappoint. Established in 1976, the Madras Crocodile Bank is home to three rare species of crocodiles that are saltwater, mugger and gharial. There are also other species housed here to make the count of these reptiles to almost 25,000. Other attractions at Madras Crocodile Bank are cobra and albino snakes and water monitor lizard.

Fort St. George

Built in the 1640 by the British East India Company, Fort St. George was the center point of merchant trade activity.  Today, it houses the Secretariat and Legislative Assembly. Within the confines of Fort St. George is the Fort Museum with displays of historical artefacts and St. Mary's Church, the oldest Anglican church in the country.

Thousand Lights Mosque

On the list of tourist places in Chennai is the Thousand Lights Mosque. The holy worship place for follower of Islam, the mosque gets its name because of the 1,000 plus lamps that are illuminated in the Assembly Hall. Verses from the holy book are painted on the walls of this multi-domed mosque.  The Thousand Lights Mosque enclosure also has a library and burial ground.

So, when are you visitng Chennai?