Armenian Church
Armenian Church
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The area
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Neighborhood: George Town/Parry’s Corner
George Town is one of the busiest and most commercial neighbourhoods of Chennai.
It may not boast of pubs or restaurants, but it surely offers something that the rest of Chennai can’t - a strong whiff of history. This historical area located in north Chennai is where the city of Madras was officially born in 1640 alongside Fort St. George. A walk here leads you to the well-established specialised bazaars and wholesale markets selling everything under the sun: fabrics, fruits, vegetables, spices, fabrics, camera, perfumes, jewellery, etc. Home to the High Court and other State institutions and famous for a large resident Sindhi and Marwari community, George Town is a rich congregation of shrines of different faiths within its boundaries – from Hindu and Jain temples to churches, mosques and synagogue. If you are craving some authentic North Indian food, head to streets of Sowcarpet for chaat, vada pav and other popular street snacks.
How to get there
- Mannadi • 4 min walk
- High Court • 10 min walk
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
120 reviews
Excellent
46
Very good
58
Average
15
Poor
1
Terrible
0
podrozniczka60
New Jersey14,816 contributions
Mar 2023
This church - like a relic of an older era - is somehow surviving even though the Armenian minority in the city and the area decreased. It is beautiful, peaceful and quietly inviting.
It is one of the oldest churches in India.
Currently it is mostly a heritage site.
It is one of the oldest churches in India.
Currently it is mostly a heritage site.
Written March 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen A
2 contributions
Jan 2014 • Solo
One of few Armenians around the city at the time, I visited as I was passing through chennai. It's a lovely peaceful and well kept church with a small cemetery in the grounds. The guard there has some useful knowledge he is willing to share. The grave of ter Shmavonyan, who published the first Armenian print newspaper in 1794 is here.
Written February 20, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
njan45
Kochi (Cochin), India606 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Nobody around Armenian Street knew where is Armenian Church!! Everyone was guiding us to a church at the end of the street!! Then all of a sudden we saw the little board. There inside was the 300 years old church telling us about the Armenian traders who were there once upon a time. Now, no Armenians live in Chennai. There are a few of them in West Bengal.
The monument is well preserved, especially the Bell Tower and the ancient bells at the top. There are a number of old paintings by old Chennai Armenians in the passage. I wish the archeological society or any NGOs translate those armenian writings on the plaques and tomb stones in to English so we can learn more about the Armenians.
The monument is well preserved, especially the Bell Tower and the ancient bells at the top. There are a number of old paintings by old Chennai Armenians in the passage. I wish the archeological society or any NGOs translate those armenian writings on the plaques and tomb stones in to English so we can learn more about the Armenians.
Written March 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndyAd1960
London, UK110 contributions
Dec 2011 • Couples
My favourite spot here is the Armenian Church which is in Armenian Street about halfway along NSC Bose Road. The curator, a friendly Anglo-Indian gentleman called Trevor Alexander will take you around and give you a brief history of the building. The current church dates back to 1772, though there has been a church on this site since 1712. There are graves for over 300 of the original Armenian community scattered around the church and grounds including one for the founder of the first Armenian newspaper in the world (that probably meant a lot more in 1790 than it does now!).Apparently the Armenians were present in Chennai and these parts of India from a few centuries before the British, French, Dutch or Portuguese, having originated in Persia in this instance and operated very much as merchants. Sadly, the community no longer exists in the city and the church fell into some disrepair. However it was successfully refurbished a few years ago and is a quiet place of calm amidst the bustle of Georgetown.
The bell tower has 6 bells, several made by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry (inscribed Thomas Mears, Founder) which made the Liberty Bell and the bells in Big Ben and is the UK's oldest bell manufacturer. You can go up the tower and have a look.
The bell tower has 6 bells, several made by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry (inscribed Thomas Mears, Founder) which made the Liberty Bell and the bells in Big Ben and is the UK's oldest bell manufacturer. You can go up the tower and have a look.
Written April 30, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MJRVJ
Allahabad, India345 contributions
This is a place to get some piece. I visited with my wife,she is a great believer of this church and a regular, we offered a dozen candles and did our prayers.
A great piece of heritge architecture...a must for heritable lovers..
I found it a worth visit while you r in Chennai...will surely visit again.
A great piece of heritge architecture...a must for heritable lovers..
I found it a worth visit while you r in Chennai...will surely visit again.
Written June 27, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TrustedGuide
Vellore, India14 contributions
Sep 2012 • Family
Armenian church is located on the way to St.Mary's church. The church is guarded by a old man, who was kind enough to tell the history of the church. The church is opened for the public every day till 1:00 p.m. It is one of the oldest churches built in old Madras.
Written December 20, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aaqarsh Aiyyar
Chennai (Madras), India2,454 contributions
Oct 2013 • Solo
Armenian Church of St. Mary, constructed in 1712 (rebuilt about 60 years later), is one of the oldest churches of the Indian sub-continent. The church functions only as a heritage site and one can visit the monument between 9 AM and 2:30 PM. The graveyard is heavenly abode of about 350 Armenians. The Azdarar’s magazine founder-editor Rev. Haroutiun Shmavonian was supposedly buried here. The Belfry adjoining the main Church is popular for its six large bells.
A few hundred silk, spices and gem merchants travelled through the Hindukush Mountains and reached Madras (or the erstwhile Madras presidency), where they chose to settle down. The affluent Armenian population must have mixed with the local population at some point and certainly a few thousands in this City may still possess Armenian genes. Armenian Church is a reminiscence of a historic human migration.
A few hundred silk, spices and gem merchants travelled through the Hindukush Mountains and reached Madras (or the erstwhile Madras presidency), where they chose to settle down. The affluent Armenian population must have mixed with the local population at some point and certainly a few thousands in this City may still possess Armenian genes. Armenian Church is a reminiscence of a historic human migration.
Written October 2, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kakp76
Chennai (Madras), India140 contributions
Jan 2017
This church is famous for people need blessings from St.Antony. Lakhs of people visit on Tuesday to offer their prayer. The church holds special prayer every month 1st Tuesday.
Written January 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon J
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia695 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
This is an impressive church with a very long history. We saw it after a wedding and it was still filled with people. But it was very impressive.
Written September 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AmitPalrecha
Pune, India79 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
You will surely miss this little gem right in the middle of bustling Georgetown, Chennai. The build is nondescript with shops and commercial places all around. It is unbelievably noisy outside, but once you are inside, its like you are transported to different world altogether. The guard is helpful and will tell you all the stories related to this Church.
One of the oldest church in India, it was built by Armenian traders in the early eighteenth century who settled in Chennai. However now there are no Armenians here and the church is looked after by an association of Armenians from Calcutta.
I wish the Archaeological Society of India takes up the maintenance of this heritage place.
One of the oldest church in India, it was built by Armenian traders in the early eighteenth century who settled in Chennai. However now there are no Armenians here and the church is looked after by an association of Armenians from Calcutta.
I wish the Archaeological Society of India takes up the maintenance of this heritage place.
Written April 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Armenian Church Information
Excellent Reviews | 46 |
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Very Good Reviews | 58 |
Armenian Church Photos | 91 |