Ever wonder what a cupola without a statue looks like? Right here at Fort St. George stands the Cornwallis Cupola. It’s a curious sight. The Cornwallis Cupola is a unique monument. It’s known for what’s missing. It has no statue. While the architecture itself isn’t extraordinary, the story behind the Cornwallis Cupola is fascinating.
Fort St. George, formerly known as Madras, is one of the earliest British settlements in India. It dates back to 1639. The fort itself was built in 1640. The fort was named after St. George because construction finished on St. George’s Day, April 23rd. The Cornwallis Cupola sits within this historic fort. Its story intertwines with the Anglo-Mysore Wars and the figures of Tipu Sultan and Lord Cornwallis.
The Third Anglo-Mysore War, from 1790 to 1792, is key to understanding the Cornwallis Cupola. Tipu Sultan invaded Travancore, a British ally. This sparked the war. Lord Cornwallis, the British Governor-General, led the British forces to victory against Tipu Sultan. The Treaty of Srirangapatnam followed. Tipu Sultan ceded half his territory and paid a hefty indemnity. He even gave his two sons to Cornwallis as a guarantee.
To celebrate this victory, European residents of Madras raised funds for a statue of Cornwallis. This statue depicted the surrender of Tipu Sultan’s sons. It was crafted in England and brought to Madras in 1800. Initially, the Cornwallis Cupola housed this statue. They were both located in the fort’s Parade Square.
Lord Cornwallis died in 1805. A cenotaph was built for him in Teynampet. The plan was to move the statue there. But it never happened. The cenotaph was later moved to the beach. The statue and cupola were separated in 1925. The statue went to the Connemara Library in 1928, and later to the Fort Museum in 1950 where it remains today. The Cornwallis Cupola was moved to its current location around 1935. And so, the Cornwallis Cupola stands alone, a silent witness to a rich and complex history.