Clockwise from top-left: Sri Soundararajaperumal temple in Nagapattinam, Nagore Dargah, Agnipureeswarar Temple, Thirupugalur, Salt pans in Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni
Nagapattinam district is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. Nagapattinam district was carved out by bifurcating the erstwhile composite Thanjavur district on 19 October 1991. The town of Nagapattinam is the district headquarters.
The town was originally called "Nagai"; the word Pattinam was attached during the Chola era when the town emerged as an important port
The town was also called Cholakula Vallipattinam during the Chola period, when it was one of the important ports.
The neighbouring port, Kaveripoompattinam (modern day Poompuhar), was the capital of the Chola kingdom of the Sangam Age,