The
Marina
 Stretching
two miles, from the Coovum River's mouth, south of the
Fort, till the northern boundaries of the 16th century
Portuguese town of San Thome, is this magnificent beach
drive and promenade. At the southern end of the Marina
is the San Thome basilica, built in 1896. To the east
of the road is the Promenade, well-kept gardens and
a wide beach which claims to being the world's second
longest. At the north end of the beach is Anna Square,
the serene resting place of Dr.C.N.Annaduari, who founded
a populist party that ushered in anew the ancient glory
of Tamil Nadu and the Tamils. His samadhi is marked
by a beautiful park, a striking memorial sculpture and
crowds pay homage daily.
Nearby is the samadhi of M.G Ramachandran, one of the
most popular Chief Ministers of this State. In between,
sentinels on the promenade, are several statues of Tamil
scholars and Mahatma Gandhi. Chennai's Aquarium is also
on this beach. Across the road are several important
buildings of Chennai. The University campus has Indo-Saracenic
buildings of the 1930s blending with perhaps one of
the country's finest building's in this hybrid style,
Senate House built by one of the founders of the modern
version of this school of architecture, R F Chisholm,
in mid- 19th century.
Chisholm's PWD buildings front, the
striking Chepauk Palace, once the home of the Nawabs
of the Carnatic, but now government offices whose exteriors
still reflect Nawabi splendour. Presidency College,
another Chisholm's masterpiece, was the nucleus of the
125 years-old University of Madras. Vivekananda House,
now a hostel, was once a storehouse for imported ice;
then home of Swami Vivekananda when he visited Chennai.
The long and impressive office of the Director-general
of police, another 19th century construction was built
as the city's first Masonic hall.
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