Fort St. George : Built by the East India Company in 1639-1640, the fort marks the beginning of Madras as a modern city. It was one of the first bastions of British Power in India and has a long story to tell. Today the fort is used by the state legislative assembly and as the secretarial offices of the Tamil Nadu government. Fort St. George's towering flagstaff is, even today, the tallest in India. Glimpses of early Chennai are preserved in Clive Corner, Wellesley House (now in ruins), Fort Museum and St. Mary's church located within the compound.