It was founded in 1639, on a piece of land given by the Raja of Chandragiri, the last representative of the Vijayanagar rulers of Hampi. By 1700, the British had acquired neighbouring territory includin Triplicane and Egmore. The British were repeatedly challenged by the French who, in 1746, destroyed much of the city . By 1783 Chennai lost its national importance. Chennai is an international arrival point and important domestic airport.
People wanting to begin from South-India can land directly at Chennai.
The domestic airport is well connected to all major destinations across India. The international and domestic airports are 16kms south of the city center. Egmore Station is the starting point and terminus of trains to and from South. At Central Station one can get reservations for connections to the western and northern parts of the country. The local suburban train system offers a cheap mode of transport.