The Town Gate
'Landporten' as the Town Gate is called in Danish forms part of the fortifications that were built around Tranquebar in the 1660's. In 1791 the original gate was destroyed and the existing one constructed in its place.
The Ziegenbalg Museum Complex
Interesting to see a building here marked the "First Printing Press" though the first printing press in India was originally housed in the Mission House on King's Street. Bibliophiles would know that the first book to be published in India was the Bible in Tamil.
The New Jerusalem Church
Built in 1718 after the arrival of German missionaries, when the existing church proved too small for the growing Christian population.
The Zion Church
Consecrated in 1701, it is the oldest protestant Church in India. Prominent with its combination of colonial and Indian architectural features, its construction together with the fortification of the town marked the moving out and spreading of the Danish population into the surrounding settlement. The structure went through many reconstructions before it reached its present form.
The Masilamani Nathar Temple
Dating back to the Pandian era, this temple was erected in 1306. An inscription to this effect is exhibited in the Dansborg Museum. Today the temple is heavily eroded and threatened by the sea. Restoration scheme for the temple is being prepared.
The Old Danish Cemetry
Small cemetery that holds the whitewashed graves of several Danish colonial officials and tradesmen. Don't expect a Danish style cemetery as found in Copenhagen. It is a small compound with a locked gate and several headstones standing forlornly in a barren patch of land.
Fort Dansborg
Is a Danish 17th century fort facing the coast. The construction of the fort began immediately after the arrival of the first Danish trading expedition and the establishment of a treaty regulating trading rights between the Nayak Raghunatha in Thanjavur and the Danish East India Company in 1620. Until the end of the 17th century the fort was used for residential and storage purposes; subsequent increase in population forced the Danes to move out and occupy surrounding areas as well. While it was previously crumbling away, the Fort has received substantial renovation efforts recently, by both Indian volunteers and Danish non profit organisations. It houses a small museum inside that has some artifacts and a history of the Danish Settlement. Entry fee is Rs 5 per person. 10-30 AM to 5 PM