About Pondicherry

About Pondicherry

Pondicherry has an interesting cross-cultural history and its built form lends a unique identity to the town. The old part of Pondicherry is known as the Boulevard Town since it is bounded by four boulevards that once constituted the outer limits of the city’s fortification. The Boulevard Town presents two distinct architectural styles in the Tamil and French quarters, which are separated by a canal and unified by a rectilinear grid plan. In the French Town the buildings are in European style adapted to a tropical climate, whereas in the Tamil Town area they are in the local vernacular. While maintaining their individual identities, the two styles have influenced one another, evolving into a synthesis: Franco-Tamil architecture.

About Pondicherry

Listing

From 1987 to 1995 INTACH, together with EFEO, prepared an inventory of heritage-value buildings in the old town. Such buildings are classified according to their architectural and historical merits. A revised list has been prepared in 2001 according to the standard prescribed by the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), having four categories:

Category -I
Category -II A
Category -IIB
Category -III

About Pondicherry

Documentation and Intervention

Documentation of heritage buildings, comprising preparation of measure drawings and taking photographs, is a central part of INTACH’s work. It is the basis for carrying out various activities related to preservation of the built heritage. These activities include restoration, adaptive re-use and extension of listed buildings, design of new buildings in heritage precincts, preparation of publications and conducting awareness programs.