The picturesque union territory of Pondicherry , is strategically located in South India along the coast of Bay of Bengal. It is 150 kms from Chennai and 315 kms from Bangalore. The town owns a domestic airport. International tourists can drive down to the airport. International tourists can drive down to the state after landing at the Chennai, Bangalore or Cochin International airports.
The town is about 293 sq km in size. The tropical paradise Pondicherry transports tourists back to an Utopian Elysium. The quaint towns that are shrouded in age old history are a major tourist draw. Originally a scattered settlement of fishermen and weavers , the place later developed into a busy trading port having ties with the Roman Empire ( and is referred to as " Poduke" by the classical geographers of Rome of Rome and Greece) . Mentioned as Vedapuri ( as it was a vedic learning centre in ancient times ) the place later flourished as a port town of the Cholas under the name Pudicheri ( " new town " in Tamil) until it finally became a busy trading centre of the colonial powers. The place was called Pondicherry by the French , who established their trading port and constructed a fort ( 1689) near the location where today the Aye Mandapam stands. Following the expansion of their activities and settlements, the entire town was fortified, including the Indian quarters and the street plan in 1750 was almost the same as today.
Till now, this orthogonal pattern of streets has been assumed yo be modeled on the French " Bastide" towns. However some recent discoveries point to its root in the master plan made by the Dutch for the development of Pondicherry during thier occupation in 1694.
In 1761 Pondicherry was destroyed by the British after their siege and returned to the french in 1765, following which there was a period of active reconstruction ( mostly over the old foundation remains) . The Grand Canal was completed around 1788 as a storm water drain marking a clear demarcation between the French and Tamil Towns. The fortified town, planned on a grid pattern in oval shape, encompasses 2 different parts - Tamil and French , divided by the canal. The Tamil Town in turn has an intimate fabric of Hindu, Christian and Muslim quarters.
The French town has structures in European classical style comparable to the Parisian villas of the " hotel particulier" ( urban upper middle class in France ) while the buildings in the Tamil town have a strong vernacular influence of surrounding Tamil Nadu. The two contrasting style , existing side by side, have influenced each other , resulting sometimes in a unique blend of European and Tamil architectural patterns , reflecting the cross - cultural impact and giving the built form a certain " Pondicherryness"
The town is about 293 sq km in size. The tropical paradise Pondicherry transports tourists back to an Utopian Elysium. The quaint towns that are shrouded in age old history are a major tourist draw. Originally a scattered settlement of fishermen and weavers , the place later developed into a busy trading port having ties with the Roman Empire ( and is referred to as " Poduke" by the classical geographers of Rome of Rome and Greece) . Mentioned as Vedapuri ( as it was a vedic learning centre in ancient times ) the place later flourished as a port town of the Cholas under the name Pudicheri ( " new town " in Tamil) until it finally became a busy trading centre of the colonial powers. The place was called Pondicherry by the French , who established their trading port and constructed a fort ( 1689) near the location where today the Aye Mandapam stands. Following the expansion of their activities and settlements, the entire town was fortified, including the Indian quarters and the street plan in 1750 was almost the same as today.
Till now, this orthogonal pattern of streets has been assumed yo be modeled on the French " Bastide" towns. However some recent discoveries point to its root in the master plan made by the Dutch for the development of Pondicherry during thier occupation in 1694.
In 1761 Pondicherry was destroyed by the British after their siege and returned to the french in 1765, following which there was a period of active reconstruction ( mostly over the old foundation remains) . The Grand Canal was completed around 1788 as a storm water drain marking a clear demarcation between the French and Tamil Towns. The fortified town, planned on a grid pattern in oval shape, encompasses 2 different parts - Tamil and French , divided by the canal. The Tamil Town in turn has an intimate fabric of Hindu, Christian and Muslim quarters.
The French town has structures in European classical style comparable to the Parisian villas of the " hotel particulier" ( urban upper middle class in France ) while the buildings in the Tamil town have a strong vernacular influence of surrounding Tamil Nadu. The two contrasting style , existing side by side, have influenced each other , resulting sometimes in a unique blend of European and Tamil architectural patterns , reflecting the cross - cultural impact and giving the built form a certain " Pondicherryness"
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