Fort St. George, India
Fort St. George (or historically, White Town)[1] is a fortress at the coastal city of Chennai, India. Founded in 1639, it was the first English (later British) fortress in India.[2] The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land.[3] Thus, it is a feasible contention to say that the city (formerly named Madras) evolved around the fortress.[4] The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and other official buildings.
For other uses, see Fort St. George (disambiguation).Fort St. George
Fort St. George in 1858
![In the Fort, Madras (MacLeod, p. 124, 1871)[10]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/In_the_Fort%2C_Madras_%28MacLeod%2C_p.124%2C_1871%29_-_Copy.jpg/156px-In_the_Fort%2C_Madras_%28MacLeod%2C_p.124%2C_1871%29_-_Copy.jpg)
Other monuments[edit]
An arch commemorating the diamond jubilee of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is under construction near the Fort on Rajaji Salai close to Napier Bridge. The structure is a replica of Fort St. George's façade. The arch will be rectangular in structure with a height of 12 m (41 ft) and a width of 80 m (260 ft) being built at a cost of ₹13.3 million (US$160,000). The structure will be a mix of old and modern architecture, inspired by the frontage of Fort St. George. The legend 'Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly diamond jubilee commemorative arch' would be inscribed in English and Tamil, in addition to the words '60 years'. The chief minister J Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone for the arch on 30 October 2012. Earlier, the arch was planned to be constructed close to the entrance of Fort St. George, but was later relocated beyond the prohibitive zone, as per AMASR Act. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Madras High Court opposing the move stating that the arch would choke Rajaji Salai that leads to the High Court. However, the petition was dismissed by a division bench on 9 January 2013.[18]