Chennai Attractions

St Thomas Mount Church, also known as St Thomas Orthodox cathedral built in 1523 by the Portuguese, is located near Chennai International Airport. It is situated on a mount or hillock where St Thomas, the missionary, was lost his life and thus the mount was named after him. In between the 14th and 15th centuries, the church fell to ruins and the Portuguese moved the remains of the saint to a new tomb and built a new church. But in 1893, the church was demolished again and a new cathedral was built in 1896. Again, in 1956, the cathedral was raised to the status of a basilica as a tribute to the martyred St Thomas. This is a tourist spot as well as a religious place.