St. George's Fort is situated in the coastal city Chennai in Tamil Nadu. This is the first British fortress of India.

After independence, the fort got the status of ‘protected monument’ by the Archaeological Survey of India. Presently, the fort serves as offices of administrative branches and legislative assembly of the Tamil Nadu Government

History

The East India Company, by the end of the 17th century, was completely set up in India. In due course, the company realized the need to have a permanent platform for trading activities. This became possible when the company acquired coastal land from Vijay Nagar’s chieftain.

The company built St. George’s Fort on this land in 1644. This served as a platform for the company to expand their trading. It also served as home to officials of the company. The fort contributed in the development of Madras city, which is now in Chennai.

The Fort was basically built for trading activities, but then served as the base of Modern Indian Army.

The fort got its name from St. George. It is believed that this man influenced the trading area significantly during that time. His birthday also falls on the day the construction of this fort was completed.

Architecture

St. George Fort has two parts, one is St. Mary’s Church and the other is Fort Museum.

St. Mary’s Church is one of the oldest churches of British rule in India. It is also the oldest Anglican Church of India. It was built in 1680. It is a beautiful church. Tombstones of its graveyards are the oldest ones of India. An attractive feature of the Church is its 150 feet tall Flagstaff. It is made of teakwood completely. This church is famous as the ‘Westminster Abbey of the East.’

Fort St. George Museum, which was opened to the public on January 31, 1948 features relics of the British personnel who resided in this fort. The museum has a string of artefacts like medals, coins, letters, paintings, and more. They belong to the colonial era.

The fort premises harbors a banquet hall. It is known as Wellesley House, named after the Governor General of India, Richard Wellesley.

The front of the museum has a grand statue of Lord Cornwallis, which was carved by Thomas Banks. It towers 14.5 feet high. This is a masterpiece. This statue was shipped to India from Britain. The statue is carved with a scene that shows the surrender of Tipu Sultan, his two sons, along with officials of the East India Company.

Fort Timings

Tourists can visit St. George’s Fort from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The fort is closed on Fridays.

Best Time to Visit

Months from November to February are ideal for visiting Chennai. Summer months can be too hot for sightseeing.

How to Reach

Chennai International Airport is 7 km from the city. The city is well connected to other major cities of South India through railways and roadways. Tourists hardly have a problem traveling to Chennai.