St. Thomas Mount
பரங்கிமலை
A small hill traditionally linked to the martyrdom of St. Thomas, with a Portuguese-era church at the summit overlooking all of Chennai and its airport.
St. Thomas Mount rises about 90 meters, and tradition holds that the Apostle Thomas was martyred here in AD 72. The Church of Our Lady of Expectation at the top was built by the Portuguese in 1523. It houses an image of the Virgin said to have been painted by St. Luke, along with the "Bleeding Stone," which bears a cross. Visitors can climb the roughly 130 steps or drive up, and the summit offers panoramic views of the city and of planes taking off and landing at the airport. Admission is free.
Opening hours
About 07:00–19:00
Nearby sights
- Guindy National Park
- Valluvar Kottam
- Kalakshetra Foundation
- Theosophical Society Adyar
- Ashtalakshmi Temple
- Elliot's Beach (Besant Nagar)
- Kapaleeshwarar Temple
- San Thome Basilica