Neomaxer helps you discover extraordinary journeys — explore trails, experiences, activities, hotels, and flights, all curated to inspire your next trip.
Neomaxer helps you discover extraordinary journeys — explore trails, experiences, activities, hotels, and flights, all curated to inspire your next trip.
Neomaxer helps you discover extraordinary journeys — explore trails, experiences, activities, hotels, and flights, all curated to inspire your next trip.
The Chettinad mansions of Chettinad are among the most extraordinary examples of vernacular architecture in India and form the architectural heart of Chettinad tourism. Built during the 19th and early 20th centuries by the wealthy Chettiar merchant banking community, these mansions combined traditional Tamil spatial planning with luxury materials imported through global trade networks. Constructed using Burmese teak, Italian marble, Belgian chandeliers, and English stained glass, the mansions reflect the international commercial connections of the Chettiars while remaining deeply rooted in South Indian architectural traditions. Most homes are organized around large internal courtyards lined with intricately carved teak pillars, with Athangudi handmade tile floors and richly detailed wooden ceilings creating highly decorative interiors. Many of these mansions contain more than 100 rooms, designed to accommodate large extended families, ceremonial functions, and merchant hospitality. The scale, craftsmanship, and preservation of these residences make them some of the most impressive heritage homes in India. The highest concentration of surviving mansions can be found around Karaikudi, Kanadukathan, and Kothamangalam, where visitors exploring Chettinad sightseeing can experience entire streets lined with monumental heritage houses that remain central to the region’s identity and cultural history.
What makes this place special
In Chettinad, several restored early 20th century Chettiar mansions now operate as heritage hotels, offering one of the most immersive experiences in Chettinad tourism. These properties preserve original architectural details such as carved Burmese teak pillars, Athangudi tile floors, Belgian chandeliers, stained glass panels, and expansive inner courtyards. Many heritage mansions allow non staying visitors to explore the property by reserving a traditional Chettinad lunch experience in advance. This provides a rare opportunity to walk through preserved residential spaces while experiencing authentic regional hospitality and cuisine. Visiting one of these mansion hotels around Karaikudi or Kanadukathan is among the most memorable things to do in Chettinad, combining architecture, food, and living heritage in a single experience.
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Athangudi is the traditional centre of the handmade tile craft that became synonymous with the grand mansions of Chettinad. The village is famous for Athangudi tiles, brightly patterned handmade cement tiles that decorate the floors of historic Chettiar homes and are one of the defining visual elements of Chettinad tourism. Local workshops remain open to visitors, where artisans continue producing tiles using century old methods involving local sand, cement, natural pigments, and glass moulds. Each tile is handcrafted individually, then sun dried rather than kiln fired, giving the floors their distinctive glossy finish and rich colours. Watching the production process in Athangudi is one of the most authentic things to do in Chettinad, offering insight into the craftsmanship, design traditions, and architectural heritage that define the region’s historic mansions and Chettinad sightseeing experience.