The Fort of St George is one of the most iconic attractions in Indian and is certainly the identity of the city of Madras or Chennai as it is more commonly known. Here is a little bit of information about how the structure came up.
The birth of the idea
Back in the 17th century, the British had taken over part of India and strived to monopolise the English trade system against the French and Dutch one here. Therefore, it was agreed upon that Chennai needed its very own fort to protect trade.
Its construction
Andrew Cogan and Francis Day were responsible for the construction of the Fort. They arrived on a ship dozens of workers and began building the structure which was completed on the 23rd of April in 1644. The Fort was named after the Patron Saint of England, St. George.
Within the complex
The inside of these four walls became a hub of activity and 2 towns were soon developed. One was White Town where the British lived and the other was Black Town where the doc workers and locals lived. During this time the British made sure to build a few wonderful structures like St. Mary’s Church.
Garrison and Museum
Today, the place may not be as glorious as it used to be, but the British have certainly left their mark on the place. There remains an old garrison along with a museum holding some of the rarest artefacts from India’s British past. If you are staying at serviced apartments in Chennai the likes of Citadines OMR Chennai, this is certainly a must-visit!
