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| Howrah Bridge was commissioned to be built as a pontoon bridge by Sir Bradford Leslie |
West Bengal presents the history of the British era through its several colonial mansions that once served as residences, summer houses, offices and villas of British officers. These colonial buildings are mainly concentrated in Kolkata and the architecture is largely influenced by the intermingling of Neo-Gothic, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Oriental and Islamic schools of design. Howrah Bridge, which was commissioned to be built as a pontoon bridge by Sir Bradford Leslie, is a classic example of British architecture. Completed in 1943, this 1500 ft single span suspension bridge over Hooghly River now called the Rabindra Setu is a gateway to Kolkata. Victoria Memorial is another beautiful structure which features a royal statue of Queen Victoria along with two brass canons protecting the statue and the gardens. The memorial’s pattern was designed by Lord Curzon and was inaugurated in 1921 by the Prince of Wales. Build in the 1800s, Raj Bhavan, the erstwhile Government House, was home to the British governor general of India and now houses the office complex and residence of the governor of the state. The Ochterlony Monument was erected in 1828 in the memory of David Ochterlony, commander of the British East India Company. But in 1969, it was renamed as Shaheed Minar and rededicated to the martyrs of the Indian freedom movement. Based on European architecture, the Writer’s Building dates back to the 17th century and was the office for the clerical and administrative staff of the East India Company. “Most of these heritage sites attract many foreign tourists since they are curious to know about the history of British rule in India. While the colonial architectures in Kolkata reflect a strong British influence, places like Chandannagar and Chinsurah reflect French and Portuguese influences respectively,” stated Prosenjit Biswas, owner, Bengal Tourism which is exclusively into promoting heritage tours around West Bengal. Biswas added that their clientele are mainly from Britain, France, the US and Germany and most of the tours are tailor-made. “Though we majorly deal with foreign clientele, 40 per cent of our clients are Indians and they also opt for heritage tours,” he opined.
Notable structures
Other famous British monuments in Kolkata include St Paul’s Cathedral which was constructed by Bishop Daniel Wilson in 1847. The cathedral was built in the Gothic revival style popular during the British rule. It is 201 feet in height, 81 feet wide and 247 feet long. Known as the largest library in Asia, the National Library in the City of Joy was initially called the Imperial Library. The library houses more than two million books and periodicals. Calcutta High Court is one of the oldest courts in India dating back to the year 1872. The court was designed by the then government architect Walter Granville, and was loosely modelled on the 13th century Cloth Hall at Ypres, Belgium. The Great Eastern Hotel, now the LaLiT Great Eastern Hotel, is a colonial era hotel established in 1840-41. Referred to as the Jewel of the East, the Great Eastern Hotel hosted several notable persons visiting the city. Apart from these historical monuments Kolkata is also home to many colonial educational institutions like University of Calcutta, Bethune College, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, Calcutta Girls’ High School to name a few.
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| Bandel Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in West Bengal |
Chinsurah, a city in West Bengal founded by the Portuguese in 1579, boasts of Bandel Church (Basilica Ground), one of the oldest Christian churches in West Bengal. Founded in 1599, it is dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. Chinsurah is also home to the oldest Armenian church in India – Armenian Church of St John the Baptist, which was built in 1695-1697 and is dedicated to St John. The Dutch Cemetery is another notable heritage site in this city. Chandannagar, a former French colony located 30 km north of Kolkata was established as a French colony in 1673, when the French obtained permission from Ibrahim Khan, the nawab of Bengal, to establish a trading post on the right bank of the Hooghly River. The Sacred Heart Church in Chandannagar is over two centuries old . Chandannagore Museum and Institute, one of the oldest museums of the region, boasts of a beautiful collection of French antiques and still conducts regular French classes.
