British Architecture Walking Tour

This tour focuses on many great monuments which were built during the British rule in an architectural style blending British as well as Indian elements. The Central Railway Station is the first destination. It 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. Today, this station handles more than 350000 passengers every day. The tour continues to Ripon Building which 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 the Mayor of Chennai. Next we will walk to the headquarters of Southern Railways in India. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, it is one of the earliest buildings in India to be built with reinforced concrete. 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. Next is the St Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church of India located inside Fort St George. Fort St George was the first English Fortress built in 1644 by the East India Company. 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 Fort St George. The narrow bridge was broadened and converted into a concrete structure and was opened to the general public in July 1943. This bridge is often used by Media to represent the city of Chennai. 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. This masterpiece has a convocation hall, porticos, a parapet, meeting halls and a library.