MARINA BEACH
It is the second longest beach in the world with a stretch of 4.5 km (2.5 miles). This stretch is filled with statues from Tamil history.
A walk along the Marina in the evening de-stresses the body. The old buildings on side of Kamarajar Salai, a main road along the Marina, reminds one of old British days. People from all over the city gather here in the evenings to as the local people say, “cool off” and munch on crispy "Sundal and Murukkus," a famous tuck made of rice and lentils.
ANNA MEMORIAL
A memorial for Arinzar Annadurai, a leader of the Dravidian movement, affectionately called ‘Anna.’ His speech in Tamil enchanted millions during his time.
LIGHT HOUSE
The Light House is a massive, tall structure, situated at the south end of the Marina Beach. It strangely beckons the visitors in the evening and adds glory to the golden sands. The All India Radio (AIR) radio broadcast station is located opposite to the light house.
SAN THOMAS BASILICA
At the south end of Marina Beach stands the St Thomas basilica. It was named after Saint Thomas, the “doubting” apostle of Jesus Christ, who is believed to have come to Madras in 52 AD.
Built in the 16th Century by the Portuguese, it was made a basilica in 1896. The beautiful stained glass window at the basilica portrays the story of St Thomas. The central hall has 14 wooden plaques depicting scenes from the last days of Christ. Inside the cathedral, one finds a 3 feet high statue of Virgin Mary, believed to have been brought from Portugal in 1543.
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society was formed to facilitate and encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science. Founded by Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olott in USA, it was later moved to the beautiful sylvan settings in Adyar, Chennai in 1882.
Apart from shrines of all faiths and the peaceful ‘Garden of Remembrance,’ there is a 95-year old library, which has a very good collection of rare Oriental manuscripts, written on palm leaves and parchment.
Elliot’s Beach
Elliot’s beach lies along the coast down south from Marina. It is also a night beach that is particularly famous with the Chennai youth.
At the end of this beach is the Velankanni church, and the Ashtalakshmi temple. Although the church is much smaller than the original one, it attracts its own share of pilgrims. The Ashtalakshmi temple is dedicated to goddess Lakshmi. A modern granite tier construction, not even 20 years old, it looks quite different from the usual South Indian temples.
Birla Planetarium
Located near Adyar and Guindy, this modern planetarium is housed in a hemi-spherical theatre.
The latest astronomical phenomena are brought back to life in simulated environment. Periyar Science & Technology Centre situated nearby enables the visiting public to understand scientific and technological inventions through working models.
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