Fun Destination – Places of Interest

Listings

• Sri Kapaleeswarar temple
  This famous temple of the city is located in the neighbourhood of Mylapore. It is about 300 years old. The temple campus houses the shrines of Lord Kapaleeswara and Goddess Karpagambal. The panguni festival, especially the Arupathu Moovar Festival is an important and unique celebration at this temple.
  Open from 6 am to 1 pm. Evening from 4.pm to 8 pm. Phone: 2464 1670

• Santhome Cathedral
  This holy ground houses the tomb of St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. A valuable work of art kept in the Shrine is an ancient statue of Mary, called Mylai Matha in Tamil or Our Lady of Mylapore.
  There is also a small museum with exhibits concerning St. Thomas and the history of Santhome. Each exhibit is accompanied by an explanatory plaque.
  The National Shrine is open all year. From 5:am to 9 pm.

• Kalakshetra
  Kalakshetra was established in 1936. This institution focuses on teaching Bharatanatyam, Carnatic vocal and instrumental music, the visual arts, traditional crafts and textile design, textual heritage, aesthetics, history and philosophy.
  Located in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 41.
  Phone: 2452 4057

• DakshinaChitra
  This is a center for the living traditions of art, folk performing arts, craft and architecture and traditions of South India. A project of the Madras Craft Foundation, a non-profit organisation. DakshinaChitra opened to the public in December 1996. The centre occupies a huge overlooking the Bay of Bengal, at Muttukadu, 25 kilometers south of Chennai,
  Open on Monday and Wednesday to Friday from 9.45 am to 6 pm.
  Saturday and Sunday it is open between 10 am and 6 pm.

• Amir Mahal
  This palace belongs to the Royal family of Arcot. Itwas built in 1789 and came into possession of the Arcot Royal Family in 1870. Located in Triplicane entry is allowed with permission only. From 10am to 6 pm. Phone: 2848 5861
  
  
• Birla Planetarium
  Built in memory of B.M. Birla, the well known industrialist and visionary, the planetarium is considered to be one of the most modern in the country. It is housed in a hemispherical theatre. Located at Kottur near Anna University.
  Timings: 10.45 am to 1.45 pm and 2 pm to 3.45 pm. Sunday Holiday.
  Phone: 2441 6751
  
  
• Ashtalakshmi
  This temple is situated in Besant Nagar, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal.
  The temple's architecture is unique, with the deities installed in four levels.
  featuring the eight manifestations of the Goddess Mahalakshmi.
  Open from 7 am to 12noon and 3.45 pm to 9 pm.
  
  
• Thousand Lights mosque
  Earlier, this place used to be the assembling place of Shias, a sect of Muslims, in the month of Moharram. The Arcot family built an assembly hall in the year 1810 and then a mosque in 1820. The mosque is built on the land donated by Nawab of Wallajah
  The Thousand Lights Mosque lies close to the Anna flyover on the Anna Salai.
  
• Universal temple
  Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna is a shrine situated on Ramakrishna Mutt Road, Mylapore, dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna , as a symbol of Universal Religion.
  Open from 5 am, to 1.30pm. Evening 3.30 pm. to 8.30 pm. Phone: 2494 1959.
  
  
• Thiruvalluvar Temple
  This is a memorial built about 400 years ago in memory of Thiruvalluvar, the saint Tamil poet. But people considered Thiruvalluvar as God and performed poojas and changed the memorial in to a temple. It is now called Thiruvalluvar Temple. Located on Thiruvalluvar Koil St, Mylapore.