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In the crypt of San Thome Cathedral is said to be a small bone from Saint Thomas' hand and the weapon that killed him. In the 10th century, a group of Nestorian Christians from Persia (Iran) discovered the saint’s burial site and built a church and tomb. The Portuguese then came along in the 16th century and built another church over the tomb before the present structure was built in 1893.
Written Oct 9, 2009
San Thome Cathedral, situated at the south end of Marina Beach, was originally built in 1504, then rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in 1893. It was named after Saint Thomas, an apostle of Jesus Christ (also known as Doubting Thomas), whose body is believed to be buried here. The area around the cathedral is known as Mylapore and it has links with Christianity that date to the time of Saint Thomas as it is believed that he visited here in 52 AD. A small bone from his hand and the weapon that killed him are said to be buried in the crypt which you can visit.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Chennai sits on the Bay of Bengal and hosts one of India's largest urban beaches, stretching for 13km (8 miles). Marina Beach connects Fort St George with San Thome Cathedral almost 5km (3 miles) away and was built by Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant-Duff, the governor between 1881 and 1886. It is a favourite place for Chennai's citizens to escape the humid heat of the city and enjoy the sea breezes. The beach itself, looked fairly clean when I was there except for the area around the lighthouse near the cathedral which looks like its home to a fishing village.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Also called `the Queen of Scottish Churches in the East,' St Andrew's Church is one of the finest specimens of Georgian architecture in the Indian sub-continent. The Church, also known as 'the Kirk,' was built in 1780, on the site of Freemasons Lodge and was consecrated in 1821. Inspired by St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, it was designed by Major Thomas de Havilland and Colonel James Caldwell of the Madras Engineers at a cost of £20,000.
The body of the church is a circle, with rectangular compartments to the east and west. The circular part, 24.5m (80ft) in diameter, is crowned by a shallow dome coloured a deep blue by crushed sea shells mixed with lapis lazuli. This is painted with golden stars and supported by 16 fluted pillars with Corinthian capitals. The steeple is 50m (164ft) high and features a bronze weathercock. The entrance features a double colonnade of 12 polished Ionic columns.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Address: 92-A, Poonamallee High Road, Egmore
This is part of the Government Museum in Egmore and is housed in the splendid looking Victoria Memorial Hall. Galleries here include Tanjore Paintings, Decorative Art, Indian Traditional Art, Ravi Varma Paintings, British Portraits, Modern Art and Holographic Art.
Open: 9.30am-5pm. Admission: Rs250 for foreigners & Rs200 for camera.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Address: Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, 600 008
Website: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/
The Bronze Gallery is housed in a separate building to the left of the Main Building. Most of the bronze sculptures date back to the late Pallava and Chola periods - between the 9th and 12th centuries.
Open: 9.30am-5pm. Admission: Rs250 for foreigners & Rs200 for camera.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Address: Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, 600 008
Website: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/
The Natural History and Zoology section is located in the Main Building behind the Front Building. Galleries here include: General Zoology, Flight in Animals, Foreign Animals, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Coral, Invertebrates and Fish. There's also botany and geology sections.
Open: 9.30am-5pm. Admission: Rs250 for foreigners & Rs200 for camera.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Address: Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, 600 008
Website: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/
The stone sculptures are found within the Archaeology section, located in the Main Building behind the Front Building. There's a huge array of wonderful sculptures on display with galleries including South Indian sculptures, North Indian sculptures, Indus Valley Civilisation, Memorial stones and Hero stones, Hindu sculptures, Amaravati sculptures and Jain sculptures. They cover all ages such as early eastern Chalukyan (625-900 AD), Pallava (600-850 AD), Early Chola (850-1100 AD), Nolamba (900-1000 AD), Later Chola (1100-1350), Hoysala-Kakatiya (1100-1350), Vijayanagar (1350-1600) and Modern (from 1600).
Open: 9.30am-5pm. Admission: Rs250 for foreigners & Rs200 for camera.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Address: Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, 600 008
Website: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/
Government Museum, established in 1851, is located in Egmore. The Museum complex, consisting of six buildings and 46 galleries, covers an area of around 16.25 acres (66,000 m²) of land. The objects displayed in the museum cover a variety of artefacts and objects covering diverse fields including archaeology, numismatics, zoology, natural history, sculptures, palm-leaf manuscripts and Amravati paintings. The main highlight galleries include a huge range of stone and bronze sculptures covering major south Indian periods including Pallava, Chola, Vijayanagar, Hoysala and Chalukyas. Allow plenty of time to visit the museum as it is very large and comprehensive.
Open: 9.30am-5pm. Admission: Rs250 for foreigners & Rs200 for camera.
Written Oct 9, 2009
Address: Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, 600 008
Website: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/
Helpfulness
Built over the tomb of apostle St. Thomas, the Santhome Cathedral is an important pilgrimage centre. According to legends, St. Thomas arrived in India from Palestine in AD 52 and died after 26 year. There is a museum in its premises with a 16th-century map of South Asia. From outside it looks like a white fairy, looming high into the blue chennai skies!
Written Jun 17, 2009
Address: Santhome
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Built over the tomb of apostle St. Thomas, the Santhome Cathedral is an important pilgrimage centre. According to legends, St. Thomas arrived in India from...
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