British Architecture Walk, an immersive walking tour in Chennai

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The Egmore railway station is more than a 100 years old and one of the earliest buildings built in Indo-Saracenic styke. Designed by the legendary Henry Irwin to be larger than Charring Cross station of London, the Station was built by Samynatha Pillai. The building is a fine blend of Gothic and Dravidian design styles. It is the ideal place to start our walk about British Architecture in Chennai.

   20 minAdmission included

2. The Central Railway Station was built in 1873 in Gothic Revival style by British architect George Harding. It was modified by Robert Chisholm who added the central clock tower and Travancore caps on the main towers. Today, this station handles more than 350000 passengers every day.

   30 minAdmission included

3. Victoria Public Hall was opened to the public in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The hall, named after the queen herself, had been a venue for various events like public meetings, and even film screenings. The hall was designed by British architect Robert Chisholm and it is an excellent example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Namberumal Chetty, who had by then constructed various public structures in the city of Madras, built the structure.

   20 min

4. British Architecture Walk continues to Ripon Building which was commissioned in 1913. Designed by G.S.T. Harris. and built by Loganatha Mudaliar, the Ripon building is named after Lord Ripon, a Governor-General of British India who was famously known as the father of local self-government in Chennai. Today this building is the office of Mayor of Chennai.

   15 min

5. We next walk to the headquarters of Southern Railways in India. Built in Indo–Saracenic style, this building was designed by N. Grayson and built by Samynada Pillai. It was completed in the year 1921. The Southern Railway headquarters was one of the earliest buildings in India to be built with reinforced concrete.

   15 min

6. Napier Bridge was built in 1869 across the Coovum river and is named after the British governor of Fort St George, Francis Napier. It connects the Marina to the Fort St George. The narrow bridge was broadened and converted into a concrete structure and was opened to general public in July 1943. This bridge is often used by Media to represent the city of Chennai!

   15 minAdmission included

7. The Senate House is the administrative center of the University of Madras. It is situated along the Marina Beach. Constructed by Robert Chisholm , the Senate building is considered a great example of the Indo-Saracenic style with a harmonious blend of Byzantine architectural features. This masterpiece was constructed between April 1874 and 1879. It has a convocation hall, porticos, a parapet, meeting halls and a library.

   15 min

8. The Victory War Memorial, formerly called the Cupid’s bow, is a memorial constructed to commemorate the victory of the Allied Armies during World War I (1914–1918). It later became the victory war memorial for World War II (1939–1945), erected in the memory of those from the Madras presidency who lost their lives in the wars.

   15 minAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 64 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 3Lacked substance

  Hareesh was flexible with the timing of the trip. He even took us on the suburban train. A significant area of improvement is to expand the knowledge of British architecture. Must include anecdotes to make it more interesting. We did not visit the Santhome Basilica which was disappointing.

  Culture21328901594April 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A great way to learn about Chennai

  We had a great time with Hareesh. Learned a lot about the history of Chennai, not just what the Britishers did. Hareesh was very kind when my wife felt a bit ill in the heat. A tour well worth doing.

  Paul SMarch 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Informed and interesting

  Jainath was a likeable guide and gave a very good introduction to Chennai. He included some history which was very interesting to me as was the British colonial story behind the buildings

  Sightsee14480434459February 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Incredible historical architecture

  This was an AMAZING tour! It began with a great historical overview of India and understanding of the different groups of people that influenced the cultural landscape. We visited some of the iconic British buildings like the Chennai Rail Station and the Ripon Building. I was very impressed with Hareesh's knowledge and ability to answer my (sometimes obscure) questions. Therr is no guidbook that could offer such a rich and fulfilling experience. This is a "must do" tour epecially if you'reinterested in understanding the rich layers that make up this incredible city.

  G5996UNsuzannedFebruary 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Architectural survey of Chennai

  Jainath was a fabulous guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of these buildings and I learned so much from him. This session was a highlight of my visit to Chennai.

  Roving34907288080January 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Architecture tour of Chennai

  My second tour with Hareesh, just as good as the first. He was very knowledgeable about the British architecture of Chennai, explaining about the different styles of the buildings, when they were built and what they are made of etc. Hareesh is very friendly and relaxed. Definitely recommend.

  Guide54846601898January 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Chennai

• Its from-price is 57% below the median of the 26 city tours we list in Chennai.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 26.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Chennai

Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu on the Bay of Bengal, a city of temples, classical music, a very long beach and a colonial fort.

Chennai, formerly Madras, grew from Fort St George, which the British East India Company built in 1644 on the Coromandel coast and which now houses the state government. The city is spread along the Bay of Bengal beside Marina Beach, one of the longest urban beaches in the world. San Thome Basilica stands near the shore, built over what is believed to be the tomb of St Thomas the Apostle.

Top-ranked sights in Chennai: Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), Fort St. George, Kapaleeshwarar Temple.

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