St. Thomas Mount was built in 1523 by the Portuguese at the summit where Saint Thomas was said to have been killed. It is believed that the Saint was martyred while praying in front of a cross engraved in the natural stone base. St. Thomas was the apostle of Christ who was believed to have reached the western coast of India around 52 and 72 AD. He is then said to have traveled to Mylapore in Chennai. The Little Mount area or Chinnamalai is the area where he spent the last years of his life. It is on the bank of Adyar.

A flight of 130 steps takes you to the Church of Our Lady of Expectation on St. Thomas Mount. Here, you can find the painting of the Madonna that is said to have been done by St. Luke. The Bleeding Cross is an interesting relic here. This cross has stains resembling bloodstains that seem to reappear even after they are scrubbed off. The Cross is said to have 'bled' first during Mass in 1558. From the church yard we can see the entire city of  Madras.