Vivekananda Illam

        Vivekananda Illam is a historical landmark that stands on the Marina Beach, Chennai. The place, formerly called as Ice House, served as primary building of Tudor Ice Company. The ice company that operated from 1842 to 1874, used it to as a storage place for the ice. The building was constructed, as such, so as to prevent the melting of the ice during its storage. In the year 1930 the building was taken by the government and it was not not untill 1963 that the building was re-christened Vivekananda Illam.

Vivekananda Illam is considered as a revered place by the disciples and devotees of Swami Vivekananda. The structure, in the present day Chennai, stands to pay tribute to the great spiritual leader. The original building was renovated by the government and finally attributed to the spiritual head. The building was re-christened and attributed following the preaching of Swami Vivekanada for a brief period. The building houses statue of Vivekananda and a gallery that feature the life of the said person. The building also contains a section dedicated to the Indian culture.