Kolkata is called the ‘City of Joy’. It has got a rich cultural heritage and historical significance. Kolkata was India’s capital city at a point during the British ruling. And the West Bengal state has contributed heavily to the fields of music, literature, dance, etc. If you don’t know already, Kolkata served as one of the first British colonies in India. If you look around the buildings in Kolkata, you can definitely see the influence of British architecture as there are plenty of buildings built by British from that era. This city is filled with monuments and historic buildings built by British people. So when it comes to enjoying Kolkata, you need to see these historic places and architecture. So let’s take a closer look at the major tourist attractions of Kolkata below.
Let’s start with Victoria Memorial, which was built in 1902 in the memory of Queen Victoria. Until 1921, it wasn’t accessible to the general public. A brilliant architecture named William Emerson is behind this beautiful building. At the time of its construction, it cost Rs. 10.5 million, which came as donations from Indian people as well as the British Empire. What is so great about this building is that you will come across so many beautiful paintings depicting Royal British families. You will find plenty of things of interest inside this magnificent building. Today, this is one of the major attractions of Kolkata.
This is one of the most distinctive attractions of Kolkata. One cannot imagine Kolkata without this iconic bridge. Even in films, they show Howrah Bridge to introduce Kolkata to the viewers. Rabindra Setu is yet another name of this bridge. If you don’t know already, it is one of the busiest bridges in the world. Every day, thousands of vehicles and pedestrians use this bridge. This 450 meter long bridge stands over Hooghly River and it hasn’t got any pylon. The architecture of this bridge is widely appreciated. Without any doubt, this is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Kolkata.
Birla Mandir is one of the most visited tourist places in Kolkata for its amazing architecture. The surroundings of this temple are clean and tidy. What is significant about this temple is that it stands at an elevation of 160 feet above ground. Though the construction of this temple started in 1970, it got completed in only after long 26 years. It became accessible to the general public in 1996 after they completed the construction. According to reports, they spend more than Rs.180 million on this temple during its construction. They used white marble alone for the construction of this temple. This temple is also referred to as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir.
- Dakshineshwar Kali Temple
As the name suggests, they have Goddess Kali as the deity here. They started the construction of this temple in the year 1847. The Janbazar queen named Rasmani is the founder of this temple. Located on the banks of Hooghly river, it is one of the biggest attractions in Kolkata today. Though the temple is dedicated to goddess Kali, the deity is in the form of Bhavatarini Devi. Pilgrims come here to find a solution to their problems and sorrows. They occupied more than 25 acres of land for this temple.
This is another must-see attraction in Kolkata, which was known as “Palace of Art” before. A private landowner named Raja Rajendro Mullick built this palace in the year of 1835. You will find the palace in the most congested part of the city. You will see art pieces from England and many other European countries. Considering it was made of marble, they rechristened it as the Marble Palace. Another attraction is that it has plenty of idols in it. If you are an art lover, you will definitely like it.
As the name suggests, it borrowed its name from England’s King William III. They constructed this beautiful port in 1781 to mark the victory of Robert Clive. The garden surrounding the fort is called the maidan. The maidan is spread over 3 kilometers and it is one of the major attractions here. It is considered to be the biggest park in Kolkata. Also, you will find many attractions attached to it including stadiums, church, movie theatres, etc. If you are coming with family, it is a great place to unwind.
This is in fact the oldest museum in India as it was built in 1814. It was built by Dr. Nathaniel Wallich. Without any doubt, this is the largest museum in India. This museum has got a great collection including mummies, antiques, fossils, paintings armor, etc. However, they shifted the museum to the new building in 1875. The beautiful Italian architecture is one of the distinguishable features of this museum. Until 1878, it wasn’t accessible to the general public. The museum has six sections including Geology, Industry, Zoology, Archaeology, Art and Anthropology. You will find more than 60 galleries in the museum.
Park Street is one of the most visited local hangouts in Kolkata. This is one of the most favorite places for the people here. It is a big shopping destination in Kolkata. Also, you will be delighted by the food here. It still has the old world charm of Calcutta. It has plenty of bookstores, pubs, cafes, restaurants, etc.
It served as junior servants’ building during the British rule. How did it get this name? That was because junior servants were referred to as writers during then. Today, it serves as the Secretariat of West Bengal Government. The red color of this building is one of the first things you will notice about this massive building.
They followed the Indo-Gothic architectural style for the construction of this cathedral. They started the construction in 1839 and they completed the construction after 8 long years. Massive earthquakes destroyed the main building twice. But it was rebuilt later.
