Chennai City Highlights – Government Museum & Temple Discovery
Description
See Chennai’s historical and architectural gems on this half-day private sightseeing tour. Visit Fort St George, the first English fortress in India, and browse interesting art collections and exhibits at the Government Museum, which houses the largest collection of Roman antiquities outside of Europe. Learn about the Dravidian architecture of Kapaleeshwar Temple, built in the 7th century, and enjoy scenic views of Chennai on a drive along Marina Beach.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Fort St. George is the first English fortress in India, founded in 1639 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land.
Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to lord Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai. The form of Shiva's consort Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal is from Tamil. The temple was built around the 7th century CE and is an example of Dravidian architecture.
The Government Museum is a museum of human history and culture located in the Government Museum Complex in the neighbourhood of Egmore in Chennai. Started in 1851, it is the second oldest museum in India after the Indian Museum in Kolkata and is the tenth oldest Museum in the World. It is particularly rich in archaeological and numismatic collections.
Featuring an impressive architecture, the main highlight of Fort St. George is its museum. Named as Fort Museum, it boasts a varied collection of antiquities that are well-presented in different galleries. You can visit the Portrait Gallery to see portraits and oil paintings of the Madras Governors such as Queen Victoria, King George III, Sir Arthur Havelock, and Robert Clive. Or you can explore the Indo-French Gallery to discover exhibits like clocks, stamps, furniture, lampshades, and centuries-old British coins.
Another interesting monument within the boundaries of Fort St. George is St. Mary’s Church. Considered as the oldest Anglican church in Asia, the St. Mary’s Church features intricate wooden furnishings along with glass windows and teak plaques that still shine. Dating its history back to the year 1678, this building has stood with time and is worth visiting for everyone.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Our guides will meet the guest at the hotels lobby and will proceed for the sightseeing.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
Reviews(7)
The museums in the complex are excellent and well worth the time to visit. I was very disappointed to learn The Museum Theater is not open and there are no performances. Definitely take time to visit the National Art Gallery and see the traditional paintings.
Thank you for your kind encouragement and review for our services. Museum Theaters are governed by the adminsitration and open for limited duration. We hope to see you soon and be of service to you.
I literally only had 1 free morning in Chennai, so this was the perfect sized tour for me. The driver and guide were great and flexible. For example, I wanted to go and paddle in the sea, so they planned this into the itinerary.
Thank you very much. Your feedback is really important to us.
First and foremost the communication between the company who runs these tours (Muthu Kurman) and the customer looking to pay good money for the tour is horrible. After confirming our pickup times and locations twice they still sent the driver to the wrong location which then caused an hour delay. This delay was at no fault the tour guides. He was a freelance tour guide and he was great, he had explanations for all of our questions and was very apologetic for the early morning delay even though it was not his fault. The temples were very fascinating as well the St. Thomas church which had an underground bunker where they were giving live sermons. This was a very cool experience. Next, on the way to the museum our guide pointed out multiple universities and beaches. The museum was a bit different than anticipated. It is located in what westerns would call a gymnasium and takes only a few minutes to get through. Overall the tour was informative and interesting and I see why you have to have a guide because most of the places you would never find otherwise. Great tour guide experience from Mr. Muniswamy. However, very rude communication by Muthu Kurman who was the company you book from through trip advisor with. Thanks Mr. Muniswamy for providing a positive tour.
<p>The local guide was SO informative and professional. He also really made me feel comfortable and safe. I would love to take this tour again. So much history to absorb!</p>
<p>It was a great experience. The tour guide was very knowledge and explain both the culture and the artefacts is was presenting. I got to see lot of the main sights. The car was lovely and air conditioned, and the lunch was in a fantastic restaurant. All in all, a great experience.</p>
<p>It was a good tour. I had a very knowledgeable and professional young lady as a guide, a nice car and driver and the tour was worthwhile. I saw a lot in four hours. It will not have been the same, doing it on my own.</p>
<p>We enjoyed our tour! Our guide and driver were very attentive and courteous. They even worked it out to pick us up at the port and then drop us off at the airport. We highly recommend using Viatour. They have many options and will work for you from all over the world!</p>
