Five Major Cultural Attractions of Chennai

Posted by Brightsun India on February 13th, 2020

The rich cultural and historical attractions of Chennai give a good idea about the city’s influential position in South India. This vibrant city is the main centre of Tamil cinema and a major cultural hub in South India. Visitors embarking on their all-inclusive holidays to Chennai can get an interesting idea of the rich heritage of the city at numerous sightseeing hotspots that represent its ancient, colonial and modern cultural profiles. We have listed some of these popular cultural attractions below…

Government Museum, Egmore: Listed among the oldest public museums in India, the Government Museum complex in Egmore is Chennai’s most famous cultural and educational attraction. The museum offers an excellent insight into the Tamil past with numerous artefacts and an extensive numismatics collection. One can also admire the unique anthropological, geological, numismatics and zoological exhibits at this magnificent museum and spend some time surveying the historical books and manuscripts at the Connemara Public Library here.   

Fort Museum: The Fort Museum within the splendid compound of Fort St. George is a go-to place for visitors looking to delve into the city’s colonial heritage. The building of this colonial museum used to be the office of the now defunct Bank of Madras, and currently it exhibits historical and official artefacts belonging to the period of British India. This museum’s prized collections include colonial-era weapons, uniforms and a number of letters written by eminent Britons like Robert Clive and Lord Cornwallis.  

Kapaleeswarar Temple: The Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore traces its rich past to the 8th century AD, and apart from being a prominent religious landmark of Chennai, it is also an important centre for Tamil culture. This historic temple hosts classical dance and music performances and boasts numerous ancient frescoes dating back to the mid-13th century. Visitors exploring this temple can also admire its architectural grandeur through its two intricately-designed Gopurams, luxurious interiors and extravagantly-designed façade.

Dakshin Chitra: The living history museum of Dakshin Chitra on Chennai’s scenic ECR Highway is an excellent repository of the rich cultural heritage of South India. All five South Indian states are well represented here, and one can explore the everyday life in these states during the pre-colonial era through the clothing, farming and architectural exhibits displayed at this eclectic museum. Those on their cheap Chennai holidays can buy some traditional jewelry, clothing and cultural souvenirs at a local shop here.

San Thome Cathedral Basilica: The San Thome Basilica in the Mylapore neighborhood of Chennai is one of the world’s only three basilicas set over the tomb of an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Constructed in 1523 by Portuguese colonists, this neo-gothic style building is also ranked among the most outstanding churches belonging to the Middle Ages. The main draw at this museum is a statue of the Virgin Mary that was brought here from Portugal in 1543. The church also has a museum attached to its main building.

Visitors embarking on their book luxury holidays to Chennai can find many other important cultural and historical centres in the city. These include the international headquarters of the Theosophical Society, the Adyar Library, the Clive House, St. Mary’s Church and the Parthasarathy Temple.