As we celerate Madras Day today and the 372nd  birthday  of the city – its an irony to note that the city is an ideal potpourri of the young and the old. While Fort St George where it all began is just 372 years old, areas like Mylapore could probably date back to 1st century BC. This post is however dedicated to Fort St George , where it all began. A look at some of the maps and illustrations in the Fort Museum show you how the settlement evolved over the three centuries

The Fort initially took about 14 years to build and was designed as a squarish structure with canons in the corners

Towns evolved around the fort – a white town within the town and the Indian or Black Town outside its walls

In the next century, you can see more buildings around the fort. Some of the streets and monuments are seen till date as well

There was a lighthouse once above the building which now houses the Fort Museum. The St Mary’s  Church for instance is one of the oldest structures in Fort St George that you can visit even today. It is said that Robert Clive got married in this church which houses several tombs and memorials. Robert Clive’s house is now the office of the ASI

Today Fort St George is open to the public and on the occasion of Madras Day, there are several heritage walks held in the area. It is a pleasure to walk down the streets which still bear the original names and look around some of the structures that exist still date.  The events calender is available here