What to expect
Spencer Plaza
The site of Spencer & Co., established in the 1860s, whose grand department store was among the earliest and largest shopping arcades in India before a 1983 fire destroyed the original Indo-Saracenic building. The present mall retains the historic Spencer's name and remains a Mount Road landmark. It is often cited as the first shopping mall in the country.
Practical guide
Plan Spencer Plaza
Typeheritage
Nearest baseAnna Salai
Best timeOctober to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta
Time neededAbout an hour
EntryFree
Nearest town/baseAnna Salai
DistrictChennai
Place typeheritage
Time neededAbout an hour.
The site of Spencer & Co., established in the 1860s, whose grand department store was among the earliest and largest shopping arcades in India before a 1983 fire destroyed the original Indo-Saracenic building. The present mall retains the historic Spencer's name and remains a Mount Road landmark. It is often cited as the first shopping mall in the country.
Spencer Plaza is planned from Anna Salai, one of the travel bases in Chennai district. Use Anna Salai for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
Visiting
Spencer Plaza — at a glance
Timings10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Best timeYear-round
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Spencer Plaza
On Anna Salai (Mount Road), near Thousand Lights metro station.
A modern mall on a historic site; good for a break and shopping on Mount Road.
Getting there
How to visit
- Base yourself in Anna Salai or nearby in Chennai, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel.
- If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
Distance by road
- Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram)55 km
- Kanchipuram72 km
- Puducherry150 km
- Vellore135 km
- Tirupati135 km
Road km to Chennai; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
Weather in Spencer PlazaSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Visitor notes
Safety
Good to know
On the map
Where Spencer Plaza is
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Spencer Plaza
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Spencer Plaza — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
Verified inventory is being added here.
Verified places are being added. The category filters will fill in as approved stays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and nature listings go live.
List your placeRoampedia is commission-free — own or know a stay, eatery, guide or shop near Spencer Plaza? List it and it appears here once verified.
Add a nearby businessNearby
What’s near Spencer Plaza
Good to know
Spencer Plaza — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Spencer Plaza?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Spencer Plaza?
Entry: Free. Timings: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM. Fees and timings are indicative — confirm on site before you travel.
How do I reach Spencer Plaza?
Base yourself in Anna Salai or nearby in Chennai, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel. If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
How much time do I need for Spencer Plaza?
About an hour.
What else is near Spencer Plaza?
Nearby you can pair Thousand Lights Mosque (560 m), Semmozhi Poonga (820 m), St. George's Cathedral (1.2 km), Connemara Public Library (1.3 km).
Read next
More stories, legends & guides from Chennai
StoryThe Peahen Who Worshipped Shiva: The Legend of Mylapore6 min readStoryHow Madras Was Born: Francis Day and Fort St. George6 min readStoryThe Apostle's Tomb by the Sea: St. Thomas and San Thome6 min readStoryThe Armenians of Madras: A Vanished Community and Its Church5 min readItineraryChennai in 2 Days: A Practical Itinerary7 min readItineraryDay Trips from Chennai: 8 Best Places to Visit in a Day8 min readGuideChennai: A City Guide to Madras by the Bay7 min readStoryKapaleeswarar Temple and the soul of Mylapore6 min readGuideChurches & Christian Heritage of Tamil Nadu: A Two-Millennia Trail8 min readStoryMarina Beach and the Chennai Seafront6 min read
Image credits
- Spencer Plaza:Rameshng, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0