Location
Armenian Church is located on the Armenian Street in the Chennai
city suburbs. The church is one of the credited monuments in the
state of Tamil Nadu.
Origin
The Armenian church is one of the oldest churches existing in
India. The church was built in 1771. Armenians are believed to be
establishing first trade links with India during the 16th century
A.D. The Armenian merchants for the same purpose landed in the city,
now famous as Chennai, and got settled there. The Armenian families
soon began building houses and it is during the same era that a
church was constructed that continues to occupy the ground till date
(early years of the 21st century). The church is also famous as the
Armenian Church of Virgin Mary.
Features
The Armenian Church complex at Chennai consists of a small chapel
and belfry tower. The bells contained in the tower makes up the key
attraction of the place. A total of six bells are provided in the
tower. The bells at Armenian Church are believed to be the largest
and heaviest in the city suburbs, each weighing about 200 kgs. The
bells belong to different eras and were casted at different points
of time. The inscription on the oldest existing one reveals the year
to be 1754. One other bell dates back to 1778. Inscriptions further
reveal that two of the bells were gifted by an Armenian merchant
named Eliazar Shawmier. The remaining two bells belong to the year
1837.
The church complex during 17th and 18th century, also served as
mortuary and cemetery for the Armenian population living in the
region.
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