Kolkata Sightseeing : Places to visit in destination Kolkata

Places to visit in the city Kolkata

VICTORIA MEMORIAL - Kolkata

Victoria Memorial is a huge white-marble structure and the most enduring of remains of the British Raj in India. Built by Lord Curzon in memory of the popular monarch, Queen Victoria, it is a wonderful example of the Western style of architecture. The structure, which is now floodlit in the night, gives a fascinating site. It has been now converted in a museum that houses the most impressive collection of memorabilia from the days of Raj. The manuscripts, paintings and sculptures here are outstanding.

INDIAN MUSEUM - Kolkata

Indian Museum, built in 1874, has a beautiful structure. The oldest museum in India, it houses a rare collection of artefacts. The entrance to the museum has an original Lion Capitol, the national symbol of India. The museum is open all days of the week except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FORT WILLIAM - Kolkata

Fort William was constructed in 1781 after the unfortunate happenings of 1756 in which many British soldiers with their families were killed by Siraj-Ud-Daula. Large area around the village of Govindpur was cleared to construct this fort, which for some time also lent its name to the city. The fort is still in use and visitors are allowed inside only after getting special permits. The area around the fort is a very large patch of green known as the Maidan (ground). The Maidan is also known as the lung of Kolkata and stretches 1 km in width and 3 km in length.

EDEN GARDEN - Kolkata

Eden Garden, located in the northwest corner of the city, is a small and pleasantly laid-out garden. Once the gathering place of the social elite of Kolkata, today it houses the renowned cricket ground by the same name.

BIRLA PLANETARIUM - Kolkata

Built by the Birla Education Trust, this single-storeyed circular structure is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The central dome of the planetarium, with a diameter of 27 m, is an imitation of the Buddhist stupa at Sanchi. Regular shows are held here both in English and Hindi.

KALI MANDIR - Kolkata

Also known as Kalighat, the Kali Mandir is dedicated to Kali, the Goddess of destruction. This is the temple from which the old village Kalikata took its name, which, in turn, also gave the city its name.

HOWRAH BRIDGE - Kolkata

Howrah Bridge is an excellent example of engineering techniques of the early 20th century. The whole bridge is 450 m long without any pylon in the river. The bridge also has the distinction of being the busiest bridge in the world catering to around 100,000 vehicles and innumerable pedestrians.

DALHOUSIE SQUARE - Kolkata

Renamed Binoy Badal Dinesh Bagh (also BBD Bagh), Dalhousie Square is the hub of West Bengal/’s administration and commerce. This is the site of all the important government institutions of the state. This is the place that houses the now famous Writer/’s Building (clerks were known as writers in the British India) and the old Fort William.

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL - Kolkata

Consecrated in 1847, the St. Paul/’s Cathedral was the first cathedral church in India. It is an imposing structure built in the Indo-Gothic style. The cathedral is more than 60 metres high, nearly 80 metres long and 25 metres wide, with the distinction of displaying the first stained glass window in the city. It has many paintings depicting biblical scenes and a small library of antiquarian books.

MARBLE PALACE - Kolkata

Built by Rajendra Mallik, the Marble Palace displays the art forms of Italy, the Netherlands, England, and other European nations. The interior of the palace—the floors, walls, and tabletops—are all made of marble. Formerly known as the Palace of Arts, it was named the Marble Palace by Lord Minto.