Fort St. George

Fort St. George is a 17th-century fortified complex located on Rajaji Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, facing the Bay of Bengal. Built in 1644 by the British East India Company, it was the first English fortress in India and now houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Secretariat. The fort is notable for the Fort Museum, St. Mary's Church, and well-preserved colonial-era structures within its ramparts.

Visitors can expect a walled historic complex in central Chennai containing colonial-era buildings, parade grounds, and administrative blocks. The main visitor area is the Fort Museum housed in a former barracks, displaying arms, uniforms, coins, medals and paintings. St. Mary's Church, the oldest Anglican church in India, Wellesley House, and the fort's ramparts and gates can be viewed. The surroundings are urban with road and rail access, and the interior is explored on foot.

Built in 1644 by Francis Day and Andrew Cogan for the British East India Company, Fort St. George was the first English fortress in India and the nucleus of the settlement that became Madras (now Chennai). Completed in stages through the 17th century, it served as the headquarters of the British administration on the Coromandel Coast and later as the seat of the Madras Presidency. St. Mary's Church inside the fort was consecrated in 1680.

The fort represents early colonial architecture in India and houses St. Mary's Church, the oldest Anglican church in India, and the Fort Museum maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It remains an administrative centre housing the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and is a key heritage landmark illustrating Chennai's origins and colonial history.