multi-storied apartments, resulting in a reduction in their numbers. Traditional vernacular architecture can be found in some of the Agraharam houses in Mylapore, Triplicane, and Tiruvanmiyur. As of 2018, a team of architects and volunteers has documented traditional vernacular architectural designs of about 50 houses in Mylapore. Post-Independence After Independence, the city witnessed a rise in the Modernism style of architecture. The completion of the LIC Building in 1959, the tallest building in the country at that time, marked the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns in the region. The presence of the weather radar at the Chennai Port, however, prohibited the construction of buildings taller than 60 m around a radius of 10 km. The floor-area ratio (FAR) in the central business district is also 1.5, much less than that of smaller cities of the country. This resulted in the city expanding horizontally, unlike other metropolitan cities where vertical growth is prominent. On the contrary, the peripheral regions, especially on the southern and south-western sides, are experiencing vertical growth with the construction of buildings up to 50 floors. Within the downtown area, the 48-storied Highliving District Tower H remains the tallest building at 161 meters. Notable buildings Many historic buildings are still fully functional and host government, business or educational establishments. Chennai is home to the second largest collection of heritage buildings in the country, after Kolkata. Santhome Church Built in 1523 by Portuguese explorers over the tomb of Saint Thomas the Apostle and rebuild in 1896 by British in the style of Gothic revival architecture with big tower and a second tower mark's the tomb of Apostle. It is known as National Shrine of Saint Thomas Cathedral Basilica in Chennai. Fort St. George Built in 1639, Fort St George, used to house the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Secretariat. Tipu Sultan's cannons decorate the ramparts of the Fort's museum. The Fort has the country's tallest flagstaff at a height of 150 feet. The fort is one of the 163 notified areas (megalithic sites) in the state of Tamil Nadu. Madras High Court The Madras High Court is the second largest judicial building in the world next only to the Courts of London. It is a good example of the Indo-Saracenic style and was completed in 1892. Valluvar Kottam The Valluvar Kottam, constructed in 1976, is an auditorium in memory of the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar. All 1,330 verses of