St. Thomas Mount

The Holy Apostles Convent. Come here for the view. You can even have a snack and tea while you enjoy it as there is a tea place here.

There are more statues like this all over the place. I actually didn't shoot many pics as my camera developed a zoom problem.

The view from the top.

Another view from the top.

Actually you can see the Chennai airport from here and watch take-offs and landings. Most people crowd around for that alone. But this place is much more than an airport view point.

This place is a part of recorded history, so don't miss it.

The sculpture of Jesus on the cross.

This banyan tree is massive. And very, very old.

Right under this banyan tree sits the bust of Col. William Lambton, born 1753. Apparently, this genius in trignometrical survey launched his field work from St. Thomas Mount.

St. Thomas Mount gets its name from Saint Thomas, the apostle of Christ, who is believed to have been martyred here. A church built in 1523 by the Portuguese and dedicated to Mary stands at the summit of this 300 feet high mount. People believe that the altar of this church was built on the very spot where St. Thomas died in AD 72.

Read more about St. Thomas Mount here.

Santhome Church

You’d never guess there’s so much behind a name. Gosh! There I go putting the cart before the horse again. Typical of me.

Santhome Church at Santhome, the southern end of Marina Beach derives its name from St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ who is believed to have come to Madras sometime in 52 A.D. But of course if you know a smattering of Portuguese, you’d have guessed as much. Saint Thomas in Portuguese is São Tomé.

Legend has it that the Apostle, after preaching on the west coast of India, arrived at the east coast and fixed his see at Mylapore, which was then a flourishing city. The number of converts he made, aroused the hostility of the local priests so much so that he had to flee from their anger to Little Mount (Chinnamalai in Tamil).

He was martyred in 72 A.D. at Little Mount (Saint Thomas Mount, as it would be known in later years) and was interned in Santhome Beach, where a church was presently built.

Several years later, another church was built further inland and his mortal remains were moved from the old church to the new one. In 1606 the church was rebuilt as a cathedral. In 1896 it was made a basilica.
The beautiful stained glass windows at the basilica portray the story of St. Thomas and fourteen wooden plaques at the central hall illustrate scenes from the last days of Christ. The statue of Virgin Mary, three feet high, is believed to have been brought from Portugal in 1543.


So much history here. It’s a place you mustn’t miss when you’re in Chennai the next time.