Fort St. George is an establishment, which wrote a new chapter in the history of India. Located amidst beautiful surroundings on the shores of Bay of Bengal, the fort was the first bastion of the British in India. It was built by the British East India Company in the year 1640 as a trading post. Starting from this point, the British started conquering other parts of the country. At present, the fort is a state secretariat and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

This fort is truly a delight for history buffs. The fortified walls of the fort, huge iron gates and a moat around it reflects its military architecture. This ancient monument holding sheer historic importance occupies a significant place on the itineraries of tourists coming to Chennai. The fort was named after the saint of England, Saint George. The trading activities of the British grew by leaps and bounds at this fort.

The fort was also the place where in 1747 modern Indian Army was formed by Major Stringer Lawrence. This army consisted of Indians who were working for the British East India Company.

The fort has two main attractions located withing its complex. They are:

St. Mary's Church
It is a beautiful church still retaining its old world charm. It is one of the oldest churches built by the British during their rule in India. Its glass windows, wall frescoes, teak plaques remind one of the past. The church also has attractions like tombstones, memorials, registers and paintings.

The Flagstaff
The fort houses the remains of the flagstaff used during the times of the British. It was 150 ft high and was made of pure teakwood.

Fort St. George Museum
The museum houses the objects belonging to the British personnel, who at one point of time inhabited the fort.