Chennai -History

Chennai, situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, is the capital of Tamilnadu and the fourth largest metropolis in India. Its older name Madras was officially changed to Chennai in 1996. The Chennai Metropolis is located on the Coramandal coast in South India and the land is a flat coastal plain. The Chennai Metropolitan Area comprises of the area covered by the Chennai City Corporation (Chennai District). Chennai has a very heterogeneous mix of architectural styles ranging from ancient temples to the British colonial era buildings and to the latest modern buildings. Most of the buildings constructed during the colonial era are of the Indo-Sarcenic style. Chennai is a major transportation hub for road, rail, air and sea transport, connecting major cities inland and abroad. It is also one of the major educational Centre’s in India, with a number of colleges and research institutions. Chennai is thus emerging as an important metropolis in the South Asian region. The outline of the history and growth of Chennai City from the 16th century till date.