Commemorative Stele of Chennai’s Armenian Bridge Restored

02 April, 2019

Armenian Bridge of Chennai is one of the most significant historic monuments of Armenia’s rich cultural heritage in India. It was built in 1726 by Petros Voskan Velidjanyan, a merchant of Armenian descent from Julfa, famously known as Coja Petrus Uscan.

This picturesque multi-arched bridge has been one of the most spectacular landmarks of Madras, immortalized in canvases of many artists.

«Extensive View of the Marmalong, Previously the Armenian Bridge»,

William Merrett Hodges, 1783

For centuries, the Armenian Bridge was the most important link connecting two parts of the city, and only in 1966 a new bridge was built within its immediate vicinity.

The history of the Armenian bridge is documented on the stele placed at its mouth in Latin, Farsi and Armenian languages. However, the Armenian section of the inscription, engraved in the lower part of the plague, had completely disappeared under the concrete over time.

Months ago, the Armenian Embassy in India appealed to the local authorities to allow the restoration of the historic plague.

Upon request of the Embassy and under the patronage of the Honorary Consul of Armenia in Chennai Mr. Shivkumar Eashwaran, the stele has been placed on the pedestal, thus not only insuring the preservation of this remarkable monument but also providing its full visibility.

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