Fort St. George is a very important landmark of Chennai. Situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal on Island Grounds, this is a magnificent structure. Built in 1640, this fort marked the foundation of first British settlement in India. It was constructed by British East India Company. Originally, it was established as the trading post of the company but later it was developed into the military architecture marvel.

According to this Chennai travel guide, this fort is among the best sightseeing attractions in the city. Maintained the Archaeological Survey of India, this ancient monument holds great historical importance in the history of Tamil Nadu. Foundation of this fort marked the beginning of a new city, called Madras. Name of the fort was given after St. George who preached in this region.

British established the East India Company towards the end of the 17th century. Main motive of the company was to establish trade and economic activities in the region. Then they wanted to have a permanent settlement. For this purpose, in 1639, the Company bought the land from the Nayak of Vandavasi. This was the land where the fort stands today. After the purchase of land, they established permanent settlement of the company, called as Madrasemen. This fort came into existence after one year in 1640. This region became major economic centre due to increased trading activities of the company. This served as the commanding station for the officials of East India Company. Existence of this fort played major role in the development of the modern Chennai.

Within the boundary of the Fort St. George in Chennai, there are many other interesting monuments worth watching. Situated inside the fort is St. Mary’s Church, the oldest church in India, built by British. This is a beautiful building which is living testimony of the historical times. It is adorned with glass windows, teak plaques, wall frescos and more. 150 ft high Flagstaff is the attractive structure which is made of teakwood.

Other interesting sights relating tourism in Fort St. George include Fort St. George Museum. Constructed in 1795, it served as the Madras Bank. There is lighthouse on the top of the structure. This museum showcases large repertoire of interesting object from British era including medal, coins, letter, painting and other memorabilia.