25 Architectural Wonders of Kolkata that are Worth a Visit
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You want your cities, rich and impersonal; go
to Bombay. You want them high-tech and full of draught beer; Bangalore’s your
place. But if you want a city with a soul; come to Calcutta.
(- by Vir Sanghvi)
***
Situated on the
banks of River Hooghly, Kolkata is literally the “City of Joy”; with its noisy
and chaotic, yet vibrant and colorful streets incubating waves of joy to the
soul. The city bears the imprint of an age-long historical period, the trails
of the revolutionary pre-independence era in its very roots. Central Kolkata is
a perfect example where the old merged with the new. It houses few of the
eclectic architectural masterpieces as fossils, of not only the colonial era
but the preceding epoch as well, which adds to the grandeur and the flamboyance
of the city itself. With these antique treasures of Dalhousie Square, Esplanade
and Park Street, Kolkata is a great choice for city hikers to have a pleasant
walk through the city's past.
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| The Busy Streets of Kolkata at B. B. D. Bag |
These are
impeccable samples of the Indo- Saracenic Revival architecture or the Indo-Gothic
architecture with a touch of British, Mughal and Egyptian influences. Besides
British, there were Dutch, Portuguese, Jewish and Armenian as well. This blog
would deliver 28 such places (in descending order i.e. least known to most
known) that are must-visits and can be hiked in a day or two.
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The busy crossing of Esplanade, the transportation hub of Kolkata. A very frequent sight here is the Ramshackle tram. The White and Blue of the present and the Past.
Neveh Shalome Synagogue
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Although neglected, this synagogue also offers architectural delight to
the eyes; it has a prayer hall and seating arrangements for the congregation. The
worst part of this particular jewel is that it is getting neglected. This is one
of the oldest remnants which stood in the city from its nascent stage and yet,
you would literally fight the pedestrians today, to find its entrance.
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Beth El Synagogue
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Hidden in the plain sights this yellow structure bears an antique
imprint with the Jewish Star of David and the Star of Menorah. The interior
holds a mesmerizing view with the blue and white columns; the peaceful ambiance
is enhanced by the antique chandelier. In the mid-section, a raised platform is
provided for the Rabbi to pray and preach. Hebrew inscriptions from the Torah
and the Ten Commandments were written on the dome. The upper floor is a
dedicated museum depicting Jewish history in Kolkata.
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Maghen David Synagogue
The synagogue is built in the Italian
Renaissance style with a brick red finish. The entrance to the synagogue
compound is hidden behind makeshift stalls selling hairclips and other
trinkets. The Magen David Synagogue is approached through an arched door, containing
the hexagonal “Star of David” and Hebrew inscription. The two side walls
contains memorial plaques dedicated to the well-known Jews of Calcutta
(Kolkata). The chequered marble floor, gleaming chandeliers, stained glass
windows and ornate floral pillars shipped from Paris enhance its Continental
look. The altar of the Magen David Synagogue is crowned with an Apse (Half
Dome) studded with stars. It represents the heaven. The large plaque in the
middle contain the “Ten Commandments.” High above the wall opposite the
altar is a beautiful circular stained glass.
Metcalfe Hall
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The building faces the Hooghly River on the West. Designed in
the Greek form of the Tower of the Winds in Athens, the building
is supported on thirty huge Corinthian pillars supporting a
massive entablature. The columns and colonnades surround
the whole building. The main entrance from the West comprising a giant flight
of stairs has been closed. The building is now accessed through
the portico on the East. [Source: Wikipedia]
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Armenian Church
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A quintessence of Armenian architecture, the church's interior is
decorated with marble. A staircase leads to a galleries section where the walls
are adorned with inset frescoes and paintings. The altar in the church is
adorned with a cross, the Gospel text and twelve candlesticks symbolizing Jesus
Christ's Twelve Apostles. The altar is also decorated with three paintings by English
artist AE Harris, "Holy Trinity", "Last Supper" and
"The Enshrouding of Our Lord".
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Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary
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An arched portico structure welcomes you into the cathedral interior
which has beautiful sculptures including 14 Stations of the Cross. Behind
the altar, there are the figures of Madonna and Child. The exterior entrance
has a pediment featuring the birth of Jesus, symmetrically placed between the
two domed towers.
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St Andrews Church
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St. Andrew's Kirk or Church ia a standing representative of Scottish
Architecture in the city built in 1815. The main edifice is built in Grecian
style with a Christian steeple. Both the North and South Porches are supported
by Doric columns and are floored with white marble. A "Euharmonic
Organ" in the church represents the earliest form of Scotland's
instrumental music.
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The Dead Letter Office Building
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It is a perfect example of Italianate architecture and serves as the endpoint of letters without the name of the sender or the addressee. The columns
are well portioned and the coloring makes it all the more attractive to the
eyes- the red in the white provide an overall decorative look to it.
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Collectorate Building
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Another red-yellow building built in Edwardian design with pointing
Georgian sloping roof and arched doors and windows. It has a courtyard within
its premises.
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Royal Insurance Building
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Situated beside the GPO this is another marvel of art- the same red with
a tinge of golden hues here and there in the form of sculptures- above the
windows or the parapet. It is as if to mark out the sophisticated art pieces to
the eyes. The tomb structure is white supported on walls bearing golden figures
of angels.
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Standard Life Assurance Building
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This building offers miniature sculptures in the external façade which
simply adds to the beauty of the same. It is indeed a true delight to the
appraisers of delicate artworks- sculptures of cherubs within the arch over the
windows or angelic sculptures in the pediment, all exemplifies the artistry in
the architecture.
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The Treasury Building
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This is again a red-bricked structure, with arched green windows. The
structure is supported on the then customary Corinthian pillars. The roof is
however railed with a pair of phoenixes in frequent intervals. The decorative
figurative tablets on the walls make it more graceful to the eyes of the
onlookers.
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Esplanade Mansion, Queens Mansion and Park Mansion
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| Esplanade Mansion: These Victorian architectures were built by a Jewish and an Armenian builder respectively (the latter two). The specialty of the mansions lies in the domed clock towers at the ends and the overall symmetry in the cornering façade. |
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Shaheed Minar
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Entitled as the "Cloud kissing
Monument" by Mark Twain, the Shaheed Minar is located
at Esplanade in central Kolkata in the northeast facet of
the Maidan the tower is 48 meters (157 ft) high. It has a foundation based
on the Egyptian style. The column is a combination of styles with a
classical fluted column, a Syrian upper portion, and
a Turkish dome. It has two balconies at the top. The top floor
of the minar is accessible by a serpentine staircase, a total of 223
steps. It has a total of 218 steps until the top of the tower. [Source:
Wikipedia]
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Kolkata High Court
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Designed on the footprint of 13th-century Cloth Hall at Ypres in
Belgium, the Kolkata High Court is the oldest High Court in India. A depiction of Neo-Gothic
architecture, the building stands high in red and yellow with its pointed
Georgian roof structure.
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Belvedere Estate
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This lush green picturesque premises of Belvedere Estate houses
Belvedere house which is now the National Library of India which dated back to
the mid-18th century. The house and the now library is situated amidst the
periphery edged with subtropical trees. The structure stands unaltered with its
doors and windows painted green matching the foliage of the surrounding. As for
the inside, it is as the inside of a library should be, full of stacks of
books. Some of the rooms are having fireplaces. The main reading room
supposedly gives the idea of a hall which was indeed in the past, holds a
ceiling held by Corinthian pillars. A large dining table and a grandfather
clock are other antiques linking to the Colonial past.
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Bidhan Sabha Bhavan
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The architectural style is a mixture of oriental and occidental
influence and decorated with 18 Gothic columns on each of its east and west
face.
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Town Hall
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The Town Hall is mostly used for public gatherings
and functions. It is designed in a mix of Roman and Doric style matching that
of the Roman Senate, with the portico supported on iconic pillars.
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Raj Bhavan
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| The present-day official residence of the Governor is Raj Bhavan. The Raj Bhavan follows a neoclassical style with distinct tinges of Baroque architecture. Out of the six gates, the gates on the East and West have grand archways topped with a lion and the side gates are topped with Sphinx. However, the best view is obtained from the North and South Gate. The multifaceted complex area is surrounded by a balustraded wall; walking through the garden and passing the Chinese cannon leads to the stairs to the portico topped with a triangular pediment supported by six ionic pillars. The South gate also provides a majestic view, with the tree-lined drive leading on to another portico over a colonnaded veranda and the ionic pillars supporting the huge metallic dome. |
Writers’ Building
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A Greco-Roman structure with statuettes on the roof parapets; it is
presently the Secretariat of West Bengal under renovation. Even in the colonial
era, it was one of the chief administrative building known.
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Indian Museum
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This Italian styled grandeur comprises of three
floors with sixty galleries divided into six main sections of Anthropology,
Art, Archaeology, Zoology, Botany, and Geology. The premises have a grassy
courtyard inside. Besides the Egyptian Mummy and Buddhism antiques, it has
fossil skeletons of prehistoric animals, an art collection, rare
antiques, and a collection of meteorites. The Museum was initiated by a Danish
Botanist, Nathaniel Wallich in 1814.
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St. John’s Church
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Built in the neo-classical style, the structure is
mostly built with stones, then transported from Gaur. A portico shows the way
to the choir section which is surrounded by a number of iconic columns with
stuccoed edges. On its walls hangs the large painting of ‘The Last Supper’
which John Zoffany presented to the church. The Church premises also houses the
memorials of Job Charnock and Lady Anne.
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St. Pauls Cathedral
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It is said to be the largest cathedral in Kolkata
and the first Episcopal Church in Asia. It was also the first cathedral built
in the overseas territory of the British Empire. The built-in Gothic Revival style features pointy arches and towering architecture. The main hall with the
murals and frescos and stained glass windows is serenity redefined. Life and
work of St. Paul are vividly depicted in pictures. With all sorts of these
intricate architectural details, St. Paul’s is considered the city’s most beautiful
cathedrals.
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General Post Office
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Another testimony to the British neo-classical
architecture with a white dome which holds a huge clock and is supported by
Corinthian pillars standing on an octagonal base. The inside has a central
statue of a former postman or postal runner as it was called then. A philately
bureau is there, which is a delight to a stamp collector. Postcards are still
available here, which indeed are souvenirs these days.
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Victoria Memorial
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Kolkata is known by this destination in the first place. As the name suggests the edifice is a memorial to
the then Queen of Britain. It stands in the center of a lush green garden. The
structure is built of Makrana Marble like that of the Taj Mahal. Atop the
central dome of the Victoria Memorial is the Angel
of Victory. Surrounding the
main building there are many figurative sculptures
notably Motherhood, Prudence and Learning; other effigies
include the then political supremacies and statesmen. Through the garden, the
Esch’s Bridge with a bronze throned Queen figurine welcomes you and paves the
way to the domed main building; the central hall (with the dome) of which bears
a Venetian gothic imprint. There are a number of galleries showcasing the then
histories. The south-facing appearance of the edifice provides a Roman Pantheon
type aspect.
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6 comments
love this post, you covered all european styled architecture in it..so useful post
ReplyDeleteI love photographing it
WOW you have covered almost all the architectural beauties of Kolkatta I guess, this is a great read for those who wish to know more about this amazing city before arriving here!
ReplyDeleteWhat a comprehensive list. It’ll require 2-3 day city tours in Kolkata to document them all. Well done 👍🏼
ReplyDeleteGPOs photo is good.
ReplyDeleteMany buildings are not shown . Marble palace, jorasanko, national library, central avenue buildings, belur math,few historic elegant buildings of North Kolkata are missing
ReplyDeleteMarble Palace is included in a different post solely dedicated to North Kolkata. And Belur deserves a special place in my heart, so my latest post is on it. Do check and share your reviews. Some memorial Central Avenue Buildings are covered in this post itself. But thanks for the idea. It can be taken up for my next day trip.
Delete