ST.ANDREWS CHURCH

SANDHIYA MURUGESAN

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

ANNA UNIVERSITY

CHENNAI

HISTORY ST.ANDREW’S CHURCH WAS BUILT IN THE DAYS OF THE

EAST INDIA COMPANY FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE SCOTTISH COMMUNITY IN MADRAS.

DURING THAT PERIOD, MOST OF THE SCOTSMEN HERE WERE A PART OF MADRAS ARMY.

THE FOUNDATION WAS LAID BY DOCTOR JOHN ALLEN IN 1818 AND THE CHURCH WAS COMPLETED AND COSECRATED IN 1821.

THE PLAN OF THE CHURCH WAS BORROWED FROM AN EXISTING STRUCTURE CALLED ST.MARTINS IN LONDON.

MAJOR THOMAS FORT DE HAVILLAND AND COLONEL JAMES CADWELL WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH.

THE CHURCH WAS MAINTAINED BY THE ECCLESIASTICAL DEPARTMENT UNTILL 1948.

LATER ON THE CHURCH AUTHORITIES TOOK CHARGE OF THE MAINTAINANCE SINCE 1949.

ST.ANDREWS CHURCH IN 1905

A VIEW FROM TOP

SIGNIFICANCE

ANDREWS CHURCH IS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH INDIA AND ASIA.

IT IS SOMETIMES CALLED AS THE ‘QUEEN OF SCOTTISH CHURCHES IN THE EAST’.

STEN NILSON, IN HIS BOOK, EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA 1750-1850 WRITES,”ST.ANDREW’S IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE BEST DESIGNED CHURCH IN CHENNAI”.

INTERIOR WOOD WORKS

THE PLAQUES ON THE CHURCH WALL CONTAINS THE STORY OF A SCOTTISH SOLDIER.

THE BEAUTY AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE CHURCH IS VERY FAMOUS.

PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE CITY CAN EASILY ACCESS THE CHURCH THROUGH VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

IT IS SITUATED IN A POPULAR AREA, FEW METERS FROM THE EGMORE RAILWAY STATION.

TRAVELERS AND TOURISTS ARE REGULARLY VISITS THE CHURCH TO EXPLORE THE GREATEST ARCHITECTURAL WONDER OF SOUTH INDIA.

ONE CAN REACH THE CHURCH: BY AIR:

THE CHENNAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS JUST 7 KM FROM THE CITY.

BY TRAIN:

CHENNAI CENTRAL AND CHENNAI EGMORE RAILWAY STATIONS IN CHENNAI ARE WELL CONNECTED BY ALL MAJOR STATIONS IN INDIA.

BY BUS:

THE CHENNAI BUS TERMINAL CATERS TO ALL MAJOR STATES IN SOUTH INDIA, INCLUDING KARNATAKA, KERALA, ANDHRA PRADESH AND MAHARASHTRA.

NEARBY RAILWAY STATION

ARCHITECTURE

THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH ARE: ANNULAR ARCH 16 PILLAR STAINED GLASS SEMICIRCULAR CONGREGATION

THE PLAN OF THE CHURCH IS A CIRCLE ATTACHED WITH RECTANGULAR COMPARTMENTS IN THE EAST AND WEST.

THE CIRCULAR PART IS CROWNED BY A DOME COLOURED DEEP BLUE.

THE DOME SUPPORTED BY 16 CORINTHIAN CIRCULAR PILLARS.

THE STAINED GLASS WINDOW DEPICTS ST.ANDREWS AND ST.PETER.

THE LONG BENCH OF TEAK WERE CURVED TO FORM A SEMICIRCULAR CONGREGATION

KIRK NURSERY

EXPLORING THE UNEXPLORED

DURING MY VISIT TO THIS CHURCH, I CAME TO KNOWN THE CHURCH WAS ACTUALLY IN WORKING CONDITION.

PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF CHENNAI DO VISIT CHURCH REGULARLY.

BUT THERE ARE COMPARITIVELY LESS FOOTFALL WHEN COMPARED TO INITIAL YEARS.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS:

DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME THERE WERE ONLY FEW CHURCHES IN CHENNAI INCLUDING ST.MARY’S, SANTHOME BASILICA, ETC.

BUT NOW THERE ARE NEARLY 238 CHURCHES IN CHENNAI ITSELF

SO PEOPLE HAVE STARTED VISITING CHURCHES IN THEIR LOCALITY.

ALSO THERE ARE LESS AWARENESS ABOUT ST.ANDREW CHURCH. NOT MANY PEOPLE DO KNOW THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE ABOUT THIS CHURCH AND ITS PRESENCE.

SUGGESTIONS MAKE PUBLIC AWARE ABOUT THIS STUNNING

HISTORIC MONUMENT THROUGH EVENTS AND MEDIA.

WE CAN ALSO RECOMMEND SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES TO TAKE STUDENTS ON A DAY TRIP TO THESE KIND OF SITES.

INSISTING ON VISITING THESE KIND OF HERITAGE ALLOWS US TO LEARN KNOWEDGE, WHICH IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF LEARNING OUR HISTORY.

THANK YOU