There are about 800 listed heritage buildings in Kolkata of which about 84 are considered to be very important. Some are well maintained while a lot of them are in various stages of decay. It has been difficult to maintain many of these buildings because of lack of funds, expensive maintenance costs, disputed ownership, unauthorized occupation, low rentals and probably a hundred more reasons. The general atmosphere of shabbiness, lethargy and cholche na cholbe na (is not happening and will not happen) attitude may have a played role too. However things seem to be improving for the city and who knows maybe the future of these buildings will be better than the current state.

National Library

The Belvedere Estate was was built in the late 17th century and was acquired by the government in 1854 to become the Vice Regal House. Built in Italian Renaissance style, the Belvedere was the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. The Viceroy used to reside here until 1911, when the capital was shifted to New Delhi. However it continued to be the Viceroy's "winter" residence where he hosted the annual Christmas Ball.

Spread over 30 acres in Alipore, today the Belvedere Estate houses the National Library of India. It is the largest library in the country and is designated to collect, disseminate and preserve the printed material produced in the country.

photo - soumit

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8819/nationallibrarysoumik8kn.jpg

photo - laurablue

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8164/natliblaura5hf.jpg

photo -

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/5493/nationallib3lb.jpg

Bidhansabha Bhaban (Assembly House)

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly is a H shaped building and was built in 1931. It is reminiscent of the Euro-Moghul architecture of New Delhi. The present West Bengal Legislature is unicameral and consists of 294 elected members and one nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community. Its term is five years, unless sooner dissolved.

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/2375/bidhansabhawb8bu.jpg

Calcutta High Court

Formerly the High Court of India, this building was built in 1872. It is built in Gothic style and was designed by Walter Granville who modelled it on the belfry at Yepers in Belgium.

Pic - sigma147100

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6297/highcourtkolkata1tq.jpg

Tipu Sultan's Mosque

Tipu Sultan's Mosque or the Dharamtollah Mosque was constructed by Mohammed, the son of Tipu Sultan in 1842. Members of Tipu Sultan's family were deported to Calcutta from Mysore after his death in Srirangapatnam.(Many believe that the mosque was constructed by Ghulam Mohammed, who built a similar mosque at Tollygunge in south Kolkata.)

Tipu's mosque is in the heart of Kolkata, right in Chowringhee. It has been restored but unfortunately, they have not been able to remove/rehabilitate the ugly/ramshackle stalls surrounding it which have been there for ages.

For those of you who want to know more of Tipu Sultan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipu_Sultan).

photo - Paul Miller
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1747/tipumosquekolkata1paulmiller7e.jpg

photo - mandolin

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/3640/mosquetipukolkata8du.jpg

photo -

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/160/tipusmosque1ro.jpg

Dakshineswar Temple

The temple complex was built by Rani Rashmoni between 1847 and 1855. The main temple is dedicated to Bhavatarini (Goddess Kali). Situated in north Kolkata on the banks of the river Hooghly (just north of the Vivekananda Bride), the complex has been renovated and is pretty well maintained inside. The temple is famous for its association with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahnsa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramakrishna).

photo -

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/5466/dakhineswartemplekali7mf.jpg

photo - vis-a-vis

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9946/dakhinswartemple0sy.jpg

Kalighat Temple

The Kali Temple in Kalighat was built in 1809 on the spot of an older sixteenth century temple. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti_Peethas). The neighbourhood of Kalighat is amongst the poorest in the city and has become more famous for Mother Teresa's Nirmal Hriday. A question remains (a personal one) as to why this area where millions of dollars and rupees pour in to please Gods and act as saviours, nothing much has changed.

One of Bengal's famous style of paintings - Kalighat Pat Paintings (http://www.bangalinet.com/art&craft_pat_kalighat.htm) evolved from here.

Photo - Savia

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1492/kalighatkalitemplesavia3uf.jpg

Photo - carnopolis

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7301/kalighattemplecarnopolis8rr.jpg

Parasnath Jain Temple

The Parasnath Jain Temple is an oasis of beauty in congested north Calcutta. It is dedicated to Sital Nath, the 10th of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras (Prophets). It was built in 1867.

photo - Kavita Patel

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/4462/kolkatajaintemple13zw.jpg

photo - tierecke

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6084/jaintempletierecke18rf.jpg

The Great Eastern Hotel

One of the nation's oldest hotels, the hotel is an example and a witness of Kolkata's rise, downfall and present attempts to claw back to old glory.
David Wilson, an Englishman, setup the hotel in 1840 as the The Auckland Hotel ( named after the then Governor General Lord Auckland). After nearly 15 years since its inception the hotel was floated as a company called the Great Eastern Hotel Wine and General Purveying Co. The hotel continued to grow in popularity and all through maintained its social exclusiveness. Its exterior style and ornamentation matched its interior elegance, and it became the favourite haunt of the city's elite. Newspapers of those days reported in detail the lavish parties inside, as Great Eastern became the nucleus of high society activities. By 1883, the entire premises of the hotel were electrified. It was probably the first hotel in the country to be illuminated by electric lights. So exalted was its reputation, that for a while, the hotel was even referred to as the `Jewel of the East'. In 1915, it was re-christened Great Eastern Hotel Co. Ltd. By The hotel continued to flourish.During the Second World War, many soldiers of the allied forces passing through Kolkata were accommodated here.

THE decline started in the early 1970s, when bickering among the partners led to a financial crisis. As the hotel was tottering on the brink of closure, the Congress (I) government of West Bengal took over the management of the hotel. The degeneration continued, until the Left Front government tried in vain to arrest it by nationalising it on July 17, 1980.

More details here (http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2217/stories/20050826001608400.htm).

But the hotel continued to disappoint its patrons and lose business. Government departments ran up huge bills while using the hotel's facilities and never paid up. The hotel has now been taken over by the Mr Lalit Suri's Bharat Hotels Group. The name of the hotel will be changed to The Grand Great Eastern Hotel. It will be re-developed as a five-star deluxe heritage property. It will be partially operational within the next one year and fully operational within the next two years.

photo - Timir Mozumdar

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7816/kolkata15timirs4mr.jpg

India Government Mint

Although not as old as the Strand Road Silver Mint (which is crumbling and has been declared a heritage building), work on this mint was started in the late 1930'sand the foundation work had been completed by early 1942. But due to 2nd World War the construction was interrupted. The Alipore Mint was opened five years after independence on 19th March, 1952.

Photos - Asim Pandey

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2827/calcuttamintpicturelover11oh.jpg

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9725/kolkatamintasimpandey4lv.jpg

_________________________

While the Alipore Mint is well maintained and is functional, the once magnificent Silver Mint on Strand Road lies dilapidated and uncared for. Read more about the Strand Road mint here (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050719/asp/calcutta/story_5001851.asp).

Kolkata Police

This building popularly known as Lalbazar (from the neighbourhood) was the palatial building complex of a merchant named John Plamer. It was bought over by the government in 1835 to house the permanent headquarters of the Calcutta Police.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5461/lalbazarkolkata4do.jpg

Jorasanko Thakurbati/Thakurbari

The brithplace of Rabindranath Thakur (Tagore), this 18th century family mansion was built by his grandfather Prince Dwarkanath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore also breathed his last in this mansion. It is now the Rabindra Bharati museum. The Rabindra Bharati University is in an adjacent building in the same complex.

Photo - Sandra

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1200/jorasankothakurbarisandras0bs.jpg

Photo - mgregory

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8831/tagorehouse12fx.jpg

Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) House

It's not yet "heritage" status but still an important landmark in the cty's heritage. The almost 100-year-old grand Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) House is now the South Eastern Railway headquarters. It is part of the erstwhile estate of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Construction of the building, which had once housed the headquarters of erstwhile BNR, was started on April 10, 1906. It was commissioned a year later. The building cost more than Rs 7 lakh. The mansion, standing on 53,613 sq ft, has been restored to its original form and the railway authorities are planning to seek heritage status for it. There are several other mansions in the complex including one in which the Nawab himself had lived for sometime.

Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was the (1822-1887) was the tenth and last nawab of the princely kingdom of Awadh (Oudh) in present day Uttar Pradesh in India. Awadh was eventually annexed peacefully on February 7, 1856 - days before the ninth anniversary of his coronation. The Nawab was exiled to Garden Reach in Metiabruj, then a suburb of Kolkata, where he lived out the rest of his life off a generous pension. He was a poet, playwright, dancer and great patron of the arts. He is widely credited with the revival of Kathak as a major form of classical Indian dance. More here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wajid_Ali_Shah).

Photo - Priyatu

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/3416/bnrpriyatu3ge.jpg

St Paul's Cathedral

Built between 1839 and 1847, St Paul's Cathedral is one of the city's most famous landmarks.

Pic - Michael Perez

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/1319/atpaulsctahedralmikeperz1s8qc.jpg

Town Hall

The Town Hall was completed in 1814. This historical Hall had been the venue of public meetings and social gatherings. The Swadeshi Movement was formally launched from a Town Hall meeting of 7 August 1905. It underwent a restoration a few years back.

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/7745/townhallcal0kp.jpg

very nice pix!!

Sun................Awesome. City of Joy is such a historic place.

doesn't Kolkata have a burmese style pagoda. I thought I saw a small pic before.??

doesn't Kolkata have a burmese style pagoda. I thought I saw a small pic before.??

Yes, it does.

Th Eden Gardens Pagoda was built in 1852 in Prome, a city in Burma (Myanmar). Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor General of India, on a visit to Prome in 1853, was very impressed with the pagoda. He had it brought over to Calcutta in 1854. The pagoda was finally set up in 1856 in Eden Gardens (which also houses the famous Ranji Stadium).

photo copyright Jane and Richard

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9316/edengardenspagodajanandrichard.jpg

Shaheed Minar (tower of the martyrs) is named after martyrs of the freedom movement. It was formerly known as the Ochterlony Monument and was erected after the Gurkha War of 1816, in which the East India Company was commanded by Sir David Ochterlony.

photo copyright ossiflocke

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9695/sahidminarkolkata16vb.jpg

The Princep Memorial was built in 1843 in honour of Sir James Princep -a renowned researcher and scholar. So who was this man and what was his contribution to India? Why has this particular monument of the Raj Era not been "renamed" in honour of some other person or cause?

I found a piece in a Vijay's Blog (http://vijayblog.blogspot.com/) which has an interesting account of James Princep (the article is based on a book called India Discovered by John Keay).

James Princep, a young Englishman who came to Calcutta to work at the Company mint. Princep was an avid coin collector and became interested in ancient Indian coins. Unable to read the script on the coins Princep started meticulously recording every symbol he came across. He asked various travellers to record inscriptions on rocks and statues that they came across, and noticed something peculiar. A series inscriptions carved into rocks and pillars all across the sub-continent started with the same set of symbols. These inscriptions were usually accompanied with the three-lion motif or the chakra (wheel) motif. Princep concluded that all of these inscriptions must have been from proclamations made by a single king who ruled over most of what is now modern India. Unfortunately, no one had any idea who this king was, or what the script said. After years of painstaking work, Princep finally cracked the code and deciphered the script.

"Devanam piya, Piyadasi Laja evam haiva." That is the Prakrit that Princep deciphered when he cracked the script. All the inscriptions from the mystery king started with these words. Translated from the Prakrit, it says, "Beloved of the gods, King Piyadasi proclaims thus." The rest of the inscription would be the particular proclamation. So, who was this King Piyadasi? Some more detective work revealed that King Piyadasi was a tyrant king who conquered most of India before converting to Buddhism and ruling the vast country justly, peppering the country-side with proclamations of peace. His symbols were the three lions facing in different directions, and the wheel. Today we know him as Ashoka the Great, whose wheel symbol adorns the Indian flag.

What is amazing is that locals had no idea what the inscriptions were, or who Ashoka was.

photo copyright Arnab Chatterjee (http://www.trekearth.com/members/arnabchat/) (his photo gallery (http://www.trekearth.com/members/arnabchat/photos/))

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7608/princepghat2arnabchat1hu.jpg

Some early orientalists did a lot for the recovery of India's past, some even began living like Indians of the time - I have forgotton the name, but one British Indologist spent half his life recording the Ajanta frescos by drawing them, realising that they were deteriorating - only to have his entire life's work burnt in London's famous Crystal Palace fire - he then set about re-recording every fresco in painfull detail again until he died - this guy deserves a monument for such life's work, yet I think he is unknown outside Indology. He worked in solitary, and his expidition had no backup at a time when Ajanta was outside or on the fringe of British territory and not recognised as the world heritage site it is today.

EDIT: His name was Major Robert Gill - he arrived at Ajanta in 1844 and spent 27 years painting oil canvases of the frescos, and they were all lost in the fire before they could be recorded by photograph. After this tragedy, he had such dedication to archeology that he returned to Ajanta and began again, only to die a year later. Apart from a paragraph in John Keay's 'India Discovered', it seems he isnt remembered anywhere.

Writers' Building
photo copyright pjmicheal

The Writers' Building was built during the period between 1776 and 1780 to house junior officers (writers) of the East India Company. The massive red building lines the northern end of the Benoy Badal Dinesh Bag (formerly Dalhousie Square). It is often referred to as the Mahakaran and houses the secretariat of the West Bengal Government.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/8559/writersbuildingkolkata8vz.jpg

Benoy Badal Dinesh Bag (BBD Bag)

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7703/bbd0xt.jpg

Formerly the Dalhousie Square (named after Lord Dalhousie - Governor General of India), this square was renamed after three young revolutionaries -
Benoy Krishna Basu, Badal Gupta, Dinesh Chandra Gupta. Their most famous strike was on the Writers' Building (previous post). The trio attacked the Writers' Building on 8 December 1930 with the objective of assasinating the infamous and brutal - Col NS Simpson, the then Inspector General of Prisons. Their attack failed and they lost their lives, but the incident was one of the turning points in the freedom movement in Bengal.

Efforts are on to bestow heritage status to the entire square. The current Mayor of Kolkata - Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya summed (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060221/asp/calcutta/story_5855065.asp) it up as follows:

"The Dalhousie area was the seat of the first capital of the British India Empire, and it remained so for 137 years till 1911. The entire planning of the area and its skyline was the brainchild of the British rulers. The area is now lying in a sorry state. We must preserve its colonial architecture and maintain the area in a befitting manner”.

Writers Building architecture is so londonish. its brilliant. If calcutta renovates 90% of its colonial architecture the way it should be, it will look like a large English metropolitan.

Presidency College

One of India's top ranked science and arts colleges, Presidency College has a long and illustrious history. It has its roots in the erstwhile Hindu College which was established in 1817 with the intention of providing modern education to the children of Hindu elite. The college was renamed as Presidency College and brought under the direct control of the Government in 1855 and was opened up to all communities after 1855. The college has played an important role in the history of the modern Bengal and the Indian Renaissance. Famous alumni include Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Jyoti Basu, Amartya Sen, Bimal Jalan, Satyajit Ray, Ashok Kumar, Aparna Sen, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Pritish Nandy - the list is huge.

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/175/presidencycollege6zf.jpg

awesome pictures Sun! i really like the classic architecture:)

GPO (General Post Office) Building
photo copyright sanfrantz

The GPO building was completed on 2nd October, 1868. This two-storeyed building with its impressive dome rising to a height of over 220 feet is an important landmark in the city. The building is often said to be the site of disputed Black Hole (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hole_of_Calcutta) incident (1756AD) when Bengal's Nawab Siraj Ud Daulah laid seige to the (old) Fort William of British East India Company.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2336/gposanfrantz5qh.jpg

Esplanade Mansions
This heritage building was recently restored by LIC which owns it.
photo copyright hk

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/3434/esplanademansionshks0fz.jpg

Sun...................Unbelievable. Esplande Mansion is an example of what little renovation of Colonial architecture can do to Calcutta. City of Joy's colonial architecture never seizes to facinates me. Hopefully some day, Presidency College is renovated as well. :)

Esplanade Mansions
This heritage building was recently restored by LIC which owns it.
photo copyright hk

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/3434/esplanademansionshks0fz.jpg

Hopefully some day, Presidency College is renovated as well. :)

Actually Presidency College is one of the few buildings which gets a lot of attention and is regularly painted and pretty well maintained (exterior). That photo doesn't do justice. But the huge building is expensive to maintain. Hopefully if the communist state government lifts its control from this jewel in the crown, funds will start flowing in crores from the Central Government as promised. But in India politicians (or comrades if you prefer) will choke you to death but not let you go free till they extract the last drop of blood from you. Babu Buddha has promised to set his alma mater (and his daughter's too) free after the expected thumping election victory.

Kolkata Port Trust Headquarters
photo copyright Timir Mozumder

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6041/kolkataporttrust11ki.jpg

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/2978/kolkataportrustbuilding28op.jpg

HSBC Building
photo cc rights chakdr

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2166/hsbckolkataccchakdr7kn.jpg

Kolkata Police

This building popularly known as Lalbazar (from the neighbourhood) was the palatial building complex of a merchant named John Plamer. It was bought over by the government in 1835 to house the permanent headquarters of the Calcutta Police.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5461/lalbazarkolkata4do.jpg

Why I tried to take a picture of that building in 2004, the police came and told me it is strictly forbidden. However, I still took it a little later from a different angle.

Also, there is a fin-de-siecle building just next to the beautiful mosque downtown which is in decay - trees grow out. I am interested in portraying the true picture of a city (I also took pictures of the modern buildings and shopping malls in Kolkata) - so I took a picture of it. Then, a man approached me angrily and told me that it is forbidden to take the picture and that he would call the police.

Although I enjoyed Kolkata and its people - particularly the view from the Howrah bridge, the many cultural events etc., I had the feeling that it is slightly less free than other Indian cities/states. In other parts of India, the police was always friendly and helpful, but never ever a threat.

Also, there is a fin-de-siecle building just next to the beautiful mosque downtown which is in decay - trees grow out. I am interested in portraying the true picture of a city (I also took pictures of the modern buildings and shopping malls in Kolkata) - so I took a picture of it. Then, a man approached me angrily and told me that it is forbidden to take the picture and that he would call the police.

Are you referring to this building?

Metropolitan Insurance Building During the British Era it housed a departmental store - Whiteway & Laidlaw.

http://img415.imageshack.us/img415/6886/kolkataheritagelic18nm.jpg

Restoration work is in progress...

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/6899/licrestoration18wj.jpg

An old news article (Thursday, February 27, 2003)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030227/asp/calcutta/story_1713126.asp

Now LIC is about to embark on a prestigious project that Calcutta has been awaiting for a long time — restoration of Metropolitan Building at the head of Chowringhee, the building that once used to house the legendary department store Whiteway & Laidlaw. As part of the pilot project, executed nearly three years ago, Caltech India had restored a panel facing SN Banerjee Road. But that is already begrimed. However, work will begin anew soon, says Yadav.
The work will be divided in two sections — external and internal. For executing the external part of the project, that is the façade of the building, Mackintosh Burn, managed by the state government, has been chosen. Of the seven-eight applicants, the consultants, Dulal Mukherjee Associates, recommended three. The final choice fell on Mackintosh Burn. The Rs 82-lakh project has a time span of 24 months. Architect Dulal Mukherjee said at least one conservation architect will be involved in the project. The site was handed over on February 4, and now applications have been made to CMC for clearing red tape. The actual work will probably start after March 15, said Yadav. Mackintosh has opened its office in the building. Yadav added that the stained glass atrium of the building, too, will be restored.

Sun > ahhhh!!!! ,is that pic taken on Feb27?..nice pic and im happy to see that restoration is now active, cant wait for a pic of how it looks now:)

Yes, thats the building I am talking about.

WOW: the renovated version looks even better. Kolkata is moving ahead - congratulations! How things can change in only 2 years...

Yes, thats the building I am talking about.

WOW: the renovated version looks even better. Kolkata is moving ahead - congratulations! How things can change in only 2 years...

Calcutta Medical College and Hospital
photo copyright chakdr


http://www.mcc.ac.in/mch.htm

The Medical College, Bengal was founded 150 years ago on 28th January, 1835, by Lord William Bentinck, the then Governor General of India, for the education of the Indian youth without exception to caste or creed, as the premier medical institution in the East for learning the European Allopathic system of Medicine.....

This historic place is not at all well maintained and is in a sorry state of affairs just like every medical institution managed by the West Bengal government. It could be because of the pressure of providing healthcare beyond capacity. However it continues to be amongst the best in educational standards in the country due to the quality of its students. It also needs to be noted that many heritage buildings in Kolkata are owned by the Central Government in Delhi which has no clue about maintenance. Some positive steps (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051115/asp/calcutta/story_5475471.asp) were taken last year but wonder if it delivered anything concrete.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/7108/calcuttamedicalcollegechakdrcc.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7914/cmchospitalkol2ce.jpg

Calcutta Stock Exchange

The CSE claims its history to have begun from a get together under a "Neem Tree" way back in the 1830s. The Calcutta Stock Exchange building at 7, Lyons Range, was constructed in 1928.

photo copyright anicet
3rd building on the right side

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/9343/kolkatalyonsrangea1hz.jpg

___________________________________________

Allahabad Bank

Allahabad Bank is the oldest Public Sector Bank in India having branches all over India and serving the customers since 1865. This building is their headquarters in Kolkata.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8173/allhabadbankheritage10sa.jpg

Benoy Badal Dinesh Bag (BBD Bag)

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7703/bbd0xt.jpg


a perfect example of a beautiful vista spoilt by ugly monstrosities coming up post-independence. i really despair at the lack of any will to preserve heritage districts from ugliness. another good example is apollo bunder in bombay. the gateway of india, the taj mahal hotel, the royal yatch club. and now the ugly taj towers and the navy installation. such a tragedy

calcutta has some really handsome buildings. i hope they start appreciating them and restore and clean the area around them of clutter. massive tourism potential and automatic upgrade in the city's image

a perfect example of a beautiful vista spoilt by ugly monstrosities coming up post-independence. i really despair at the lack of any will to preserve heritage districts from ugliness. another good example is apollo bunder in bombay. the gateway of india, the taj mahal hotel, the royal yatch club. and now the ugly taj towers and the navy installation. such a tragedy

calcutta has some really handsome buildings. i hope they start appreciating them and restore and clean the area around them of clutter. massive tourism potential and automatic upgrade in the city's image

The BBD Bag is in the heart of the city. Yet the city administration cannot keep this one square clean.

It is true that a huge chunk of Kolkata's residents have no roots in the city and don't care for it. They just live here to make money and don't care two hoots about dirtying the city. But still, I don't see why a "people's" government cannot keep at least one square (right in front of its symbol of power) clean. What does it take to make the thousands of lazy cleaners of KMC to do their duty? Unless the administration enforces rules and regulations, people will continue to litter.

which are those two ugly buildings spoiling the view by the way?

which are those two ugly buildings spoiling the view by the way?

You mean the highrises?

The one to the right is the Reserve Bank of India. I like that building though.

The one to the left is the New Koilaghat building of Eastern Railway. It's actually a block away from the square and on the strand road along the Hooghly river.

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4990/starndskylinekolkata4zo.jpg

Scottish Church College
photo cc rights chitraloc/wikipedia

The Scottish Church College, which is located at 1 & 3 Urquhart Square, Kolkata, is the oldest continuing Missionary administered liberal arts and sciences academy in India.

In the early 1800s, the General Assembly of Scotland sent Reverend Alexander Duff, a young and dedicated missionary, to Kolkata to set up an English-medium institution. Initially known as the General Assembly's Institution, it was founded on the 13th of July 1830. The construction of the building was completed in 1839.

Along with other educational institutions like Serampore College, Hindu College, (now known as Presidency College, Kolkata) the Scottish Churches College (after the re-unification of the churches of Scotland in 1929, it became known as Scottish Church College) played a pivotal role in ushering the spirit of intellectual enquiry and a general acceptance of the ideals of the European Enlightenment, among Bengalis, in what came to be regarded as the Young Bengal Movement and the Bengal Renaissance.

Dr. Duff played a leading part in founding the University of Calcutta in 1857, he was associated with the Agro-horticultural Society and the establishment of a medical college, the first in India. He also aimed at breaking down caste-barriers by founding several girls schools. The Scottish Church College played a pioneering role in women's education as well as co-education in the country.

Famous Alumni - Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Nirad C Chaudhuri, Mrinal Sen, Manna Dey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Church_College,_Calcutta


http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/8741/scottishchurchcollegechitraloc.jpg

You mean the highrises?

yeah thats what i meant about spoiling the vista. thats also why i used the example of the taj towers. it spoils the whole look of the area

yeah thats what i meant about spoiling the vista. thats also why i used the example of the taj towers. it spoils the whole look of the area

It's a matter of personal preference I think. I like the Taj Towers. But then I don't like the Churchgate Rail Station building. At least now they are giving some thought to surroundings and not building PWD style monostrosities everywhere.

the taj towers might look good on its own (though i dont think it does), but my point is that it doesnt fit in with the rest of the area. it sticks out like a sore thumb and takes away a lot of visual interest from the low-rise but much better structures. districts should have some kind of continuity

The Military Secretariat

Dec 1995 - photo copyright Keisuke Inano

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8559/kolkesplroweastmilit7mj.jpg

2005 photo copyright Paul Miller

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9389/defesecpaulmiller7te.jpg

Nice. The Military Secrateriat is an example of of a difference 10 yrs can make.

There are a lot of old buildings in the North Kolkata(bag bazaar area) - many of them seem more than 100 years old. Not sure if they are of heritage status but the old gothic architecture is visible.
Kumudini bhavan
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4569/pict1486se4.jpg

darjeepada mitrabadi - 200 years of Durga puja celebrations have been taking place in this house
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4985/pict1495xr5.jpg

Another one..
http://img169.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict1480vj2.jpg

Sun - any info on these buildings?
Do we have a list of all buildings in Kolkata of heritage status?

Calcutta seems to be having some splendid British era architecture! It would be great if it could all be restored from decay.

Calcutta seems to be having some splendid British era architecture! It would be great if it could all be restored from decay.

It would be great but I think that's not practical given the huge funding needed.

Here is a long article

http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=11585

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4039/stjohnschurchkendalvx3.jpg

photo copyright kendal

St John?s Church facade to don a new look
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=211398

Kolkata?s first cathedral, established in 1787, is up for a face-lift soon. A report titled, ?Conservation of the Exterior Facade: St John?s Church, Kolkata?, prepared by conservation architect Manish Chakraborti and structural consultant Dr Anandapran Gupta, has already been approved by the World Monument Fund (WMF) and once some technicalities are sorted out work will go on the floors.

St John?s Church, close to Raj Bhavan, is supposedly the oldest piece of masonry in the City of Joy. The building is also steeped in history with the churchyard having the mausoleum of Job Charnock.

The report contains the documentation, condition assessment, estimation and implementation of the whole process of restoring the entire facade of the church. WMF is funding the restoration of the facade, which will cost $67,000. The other two aspects of the project is landscaping of the church and restoration of the tombstones dating back to 1700 and the mausoleums.

Manish Chakraborti, architect, urban planner and secretary of Action Research in Conservation of Heritage, said: ?We want corporate houses to come forward and fun the project. The project does not involve restoration of the interiors of the church because that part of the monument is in a fine condition.

?This is the pilot project to launch the overall restoration of the entire Dalhousie Square. The report, which took three months to prepare, has been approved by WMF. They have just asked for some technical details. Once they are satisfied, we are going to give a presentation before the Heritage Committee of Kolkata. After that in about a month the restoration work should commence.?

The project is being managed by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Kolkata. ?Initially we had chosen to restore the Standard Life Insurance Building to launch the pilot project but that heritage building is involved in some legal hassles. Hence we zeroed in on St John?s Church,? said G M Kapur, convenor, INTACH.

?The report contains all the statistical and architectural details. INTACH has done all the testing, sampling and technical analysis of the bricks and other elements that the church was made with. This will facilitate the restoration work,? said Kapur.

On the conservation of the entire Dalhousie Square, Kapur said, ?Most of the old buildings are owned by the government and corporate houses, which take care of them. Hence they are by and large in good condition. We are more bothered about the wholistic improvement of the Square - pavements, car parking zone and the street furniture. But now with the government demarcating a portion on pavements for the hawkers beautifying them will be difficult.?

General Post Office

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8183/gponightzubinenggstj3.jpg

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/370/bbdbagzubinengg1fk4.jpg

Its nice to see at least some effort being made to restore the heritage buildings of Kolkatta however alot needs to be done.

The money and jobs that could be created using the heritage as a tourist attraction would be immense.

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8797/296035194b5390f4383o197or2.jpg
^ by Kaushik Saha @ flickr

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/198/31264527380aaaf26aao198ot4.jpg
^ by truman_ @ flickr

photos copyright Kanad Sanyal

The Old Currency Building - this was the site of the first Reserve Bank of India. But the Babus in Delhi had no clue so the Central PWD ordered its demolition (to be replaced by an ugly CPWD style highrise) and crores worth of stuff was allegedly looted before public hue and cry forced the CPWD to hand it over to the ASI. It will be restored. Looks like the street level got a fresh coat of paint.

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5738/financeminsitrykanadanyeo8.jpg

Treasury Building of WB Govt

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9241/treasurybuildingkanadsavt2.jpg

Raj Bhavan outhouse

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/9312/governorkolkatakanadsanbh2.jpg[/

Royal Insurance Building

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/799/royalinsurancekanadasankw9.jpg

St Paul's Cathedral
photo copyright Piyush Bhagat

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9505/stpaulskolkatapiyushbhafd1.jpg

Raj Bhawan --> South Gate

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3214/kolkatarajbhavansouthcv2.jpg

Raj Bhawan --> North Gate

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/9530/kolkatarajbhavannorthgb1.jpg

Writer's Building

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/5198/kolkatawritersxa9.jpg

Absolutely terrific buildings!

Im so glad these buildings are getting restored to their former glory.

I cant belieive the difference!

Thanks for posting these pictures.

Allahabad Bank
photo copyright Kanad Sanyal

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2406/allahabadbankbuildingkaig8.jpg

Darbhanga buildings of Kolkata University
photo copyright birsha

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2631/kolkatauniversitybirshaka4.jpg

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/3558/calcuttauniversitybirshkk8.jpg

Amazing difference!

What wonderful buildings!

The LIC buildings is one of my favourites?

Any latest pictures anyone?

What wonderful buildings!

The LIC buildings is one of my favourites?

Any latest pictures anyone?

Hi there - I have taken some snaps of the colonial heritage of Kolkata which I would be posting shortly.Yes, LIC building in Dalhousie seems to be undergoing renovation as well

LIC Building undergoing renovation

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/6325/kolkatafj1.jpg

Howrah Bridge - illuminated (SORT OF BETTER IMAGES)

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/6088/kolkata1he4.jpg

Raj Bhavan
photo copyright tuknaits

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/1449/rajbhawankolkatasvg3.jpg

Thats the best shot of it I have seen. They need to paint the dome with Gold color. It'll look terrific with all white around it.
Raj Bhavan
photo copyright tuknaits

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/1449/rajbhawankolkatasvg3.jpg

Writer's Building, Calcutta

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/6346/kolkata1to3.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/9172/kolkata3kv2.jpg

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/446/kolkata2gk3.jpg

[QUOTE=Hindustani;11170981]Writer's Building, Calcutta

Good Ones there, Hindusthani. Writers is GRAND

Clock Tower @ Hogg's Market - Calcutta

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2085/kolkataus2.jpg

Writer's Building, Calcutta
Good Ones there, Hindusthani. Writers is GRAND

Thanks. No kiddin' :)

Ex-Military Secretariat, Esplanade East

[QUOTE]Built just before the British shifted their capital to Delhi, in the early 1900s, this building once again reminds all that the British wanted to create in Calcutta, a city on the lines of their beloved London. The wide verandahs and recessed rooms, with a large central court yards are concessions and improvisations, made for the difference in climatic conditions between the two cities. The space in front of this building is now used for political meetings by almost all parties.

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9951/kolkata1sx9.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1031/kolkata2at7.jpg

[QUOTE=Hindustani;11664326][QUOTE=arijeetb;11185314]

Thanks. No kiddin' :)

Ex-Military Secretariat, Esplanade East


The renovated Military Secretariat seems restored to its former glory.:)

The areas such as Dalhousie, Maiden etc in Kolkata that even today reflect the impeccable planning ability of the British a century back....

Wonderful again!

Im so impressed by the presavation of the heritage buildings....its great.

Precisely what the city needs.

[QUOTE=arijeetb;11185314]

Thanks. No kiddin' :)

Ex-Military Secretariat, Esplanade East



http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9951/kolkata1sx9.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1031/kolkata2at7.jpg

This neo-classical style has always looked good - I dont know why Indian architects dont do a neo-Indian-classical style, since our early buildings resembled Greek/Roman/Persian pillared ones.

phoitos cc rights matbooth

Town Hall

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2774/townahallmattboothgd5.jpg

Metcalfe Hall ( a 2004 picture)

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/8859/metcalfehallmatboothny9.jpg

BBD Bag - hopefully the whole square will be restored
photo copyright bherz

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6499/bbdbagbherz248eu8.jpg

Tolly Club
photo copyright lecercle

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9895/tollyclublecrclezz4.jpg

[QUOTE=Suncity;11782107]BBD Bag - hopefully the whole square will be restored

Yes - there is a lot of tourism potential for this region....Any idea of the the components in the restoration plan ? I remember reading that it would be implemented in 2007 itself.

[QUOTE=Suncity;11782107]BBD Bag - hopefully the whole square will be restored

Yes - there is a lot of tourism potential for this region....Any idea of the the components in the restoration plan ? I remember reading that it would be implemented in 2007 itself.

It's still in the discussion stage. The only thing concrete right now is that a big underground parking lot is going to be built and the central park will be decked up after that.

Laha Bari (house of the Laha family)
from TOI epaper

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/8693/lahabaritoinf8.jpg

The Kali Temple in Kalighat was built in 1809 on the spot of an older sixteenth century temple. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti_Peethas). The neighbourhood of Kalighat is amongst the poorest in the city and has become more famous for Mother Teresa's Nirmal Hriday. A question remains (a personal one) as to why this area where millions of dollars and rupees pour in to please Gods and act as saviours, nothing much has changed.

I can give you one small reason - the arseholes who run the Kalighat are some of the most corrupt people in India, which is saying something. I went there one afternoon with a friend and we were immediately grabbed by the Brahmin priest who started taking us on a "tour" we didn't want and which lasted five minutes anyway (the Kalighat is not big). He then took us to a place with a "sacred tree" and demanded hundreds of dollars from us! "We are so poor here, we do it to feed the poor etc etc etc." I could tell he only wanted the money for himself but I gave him some anyway. He then demanded a hundred dollars! Stupidly I felt guiltly and gave him five - which is still more than I gave any beggar in India - and then he said it wasn't enough and began to abuse me. I said that he was supposed to be a holy man and the way he was behaving was disgraceful. He then showed me a phony "donations book" with poorly written entries, all obviously forged - except one! My stupid friend who is a social worker and very soft hearted had given him fifty dollars. She couldn't afford to do that but when I asked her later she said, "But they feed the poor there." The only people that guy was feeding was himself and his mates. I went to complain but the tourist office was, of course, closed. This episode really coloured my opinion of India I'm afraid to say and I had some similar ones at other temples. But the Kalighat was the worst. It's terrible to use a place where people pray as nothing more than a clip joint for tourists.


Whew, had to get that off my chest. One more point: you forgot one of my favourite Calcutta buildings - the Observatory! It's so beautiful and I spent the loveliest day there.

I can give you one small reason - the arseholes who run the Kalighat are some of the most corrupt people in India, which is saying something. I went there one afternoon with a friend and we were immediately grabbed by the Brahmin priest who started taking us on a "tour" we didn't want and which lasted five minutes anyway (the Kalighat is not big). He then took us to a place with a "sacred tree" and demanded hundreds of dollars from us! "We are so poor here, we do it to feed the poor etc etc etc." I could tell he only wanted the money for himself but I gave him some anyway. He then demanded a hundred dollars! Stupidly I felt guiltly and gave him five - which is still more than I gave any beggar in India - and then he said it wasn't enough and began to abuse me. I said that he was supposed to be a holy man and the way he was behaving was disgraceful. He then showed me a phony "donations book" with poorly written entries, all obviously forged - except one! My stupid friend who is a social worker and very soft hearted had given him fifty dollars. She couldn't afford to do that but when I asked her later she said, "But they feed the poor there." The only people that guy was feeding was himself and his mates. I went to complain but the tourist office was, of course, closed. This episode really coloured my opinion of India I'm afraid to say and I had some similar ones at other temples. But the Kalighat was the worst. It's terrible to use a place where people pray as nothing more than a clip joint for tourists.


Whew, had to get that off my chest. One more point: you forgot one of my favourite Calcutta buildings - the Observatory! It's so beautiful and I spent the loveliest day there.

You are talking of the Pandas (not the animal). That's why I always avoid visiting Kalighat or most 'holy' places irrespective of religion. There is nothing holy about unholy men (or women) pouncing on you. I find many religious places (irrespective of religion) as basically a way to separate you from your money by exploiting your weaknesess - some do it with sophistication and others quite rustically. Take for example the place near Kalighat where millions of dollars flow in but yet after decades there is simply not much change or impact in the neighbourhood. When God is up for sale by some people, there is nothing much that can be done.

As far as the Kalighat temple is concerned, the High Court has stepped in finally and banned the pandas from entering the main temple [garba griha] and they can no longer accompany devotees there. I hear that the Pandas are upset but things are a lot improved now. But I cannot vouch for it as I am not going there again anytime soon.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/18/stories/2006091804820900.htm

Wonderful pics.. looks like most of the heritage buildings have got a fresh coat of paint !

Esplanade Mansions
This heritage building was recently restored by LIC which owns it.
photo copyright hk

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/3434/esplanademansionshks0fz.jpg

AWESOME!!!!!!

You just can't see this level of intricate art or the grandeur and size anywhere around the world!!

The Great Eastern Hotel

One of the nation's oldest hotels, the hotel is an example and a witness of Kolkata's rise, downfall and present attempts to claw back to old glory.
David Wilson, an Englishman, setup the hotel in 1840 as the The Auckland Hotel ( named after the then Governor General Lord Auckland). After nearly 15 years since its inception the hotel was floated as a company called the Great Eastern Hotel Wine and General Purveying Co. The hotel continued to grow in popularity and all through maintained its social exclusiveness. Its exterior style and ornamentation matched its interior elegance, and it became the favourite haunt of the city's elite. Newspapers of those days reported in detail the lavish parties inside, as Great Eastern became the nucleus of high society activities. By 1883, the entire premises of the hotel were electrified. It was probably the first hotel in the country to be illuminated by electric lights. So exalted was its reputation, that for a while, the hotel was even referred to as the `Jewel of the East'. In 1915, it was re-christened Great Eastern Hotel Co. Ltd. By The hotel continued to flourish.During the Second World War, many soldiers of the allied forces passing through Kolkata were accommodated here.

THE decline started in the early 1970s, when bickering among the partners led to a financial crisis. As the hotel was tottering on the brink of closure, the Congress (I) government of West Bengal took over the management of the hotel. The degeneration continued, until the Left Front government tried in vain to arrest it by nationalising it on July 17, 1980.

More details here (http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2217/stories/20050826001608400.htm).

But the hotel continued to disappoint its patrons and lose business. Government departments ran up huge bills while using the hotel's facilities and never paid up. The hotel has now been taken over by the Mr Lalit Suri's Bharat Hotels Group. The name of the hotel will be changed to The Grand Great Eastern Hotel. It will be re-developed as a five-star deluxe heritage property. It will be partially operational within the next one year and fully operational within the next two years.

photo - Timir Mozumdar

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7816/kolkata15timirs4mr.jpg


Those damn hoardings!!!

Those damn hoardings!!!

Those hoardings will go once the hotel is renovated and reopened.

Jadavpur University
photo copyright ritworld

http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/3228/jadavpuruniversity1ssff2.jpg

Netaji Bhawan
http://www.netaji.org/

photo copyright venucor

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8184/netajibhavanvenucormj9.jpg

Calcutta Club

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/725/calcuttaclubtoiav5.jpg

BBD Bag - hopefully the whole square will be restored
photo copyright bherz

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6499/bbdbagbherz248eu8.jpg

This street looks absolutely fantastic. They should restore more of Kolkata's historic sites, even in a country as vast as India, it's very unique.

Science College (officially University College of Science and Technology), Rajabazar. It was established in 1917. The top floor was added when heritage wasn't the buzzword as it is nowadays.

photo copyright Rudranarayan

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/5121/rajabazarsciencerudranaup6.jpg

Serampore College, Serampore

(source wikipedia)

Serampore College was founded in 1818 by the English missionaries William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward (The Serampore trio), to give an education in Arts and Sciences to students of every caste, colour or country and to train a ministry for the growing Church in India

It became the first college with University status (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_universities_in_continuous_operation)in India in 1818. King Frederick VI of Denmark originally granted a Royal Charter giving Serampore College the status of a University to confer degrees. With the later establishment of Calcutta University in 1857 the Arts, Science and Commerce parts of Serampore College were affiliated to the Calcutta University. However, Serampore College still today continues to enjoy the privilege of conferring its own degrees in Theology under the power vested by the Charter and Act of Serampore College.

photos copyright caleb

1
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/9729/seramporecollegcalbevd2.jpg

2
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1197/seramporecollege3calebll7.jpg

3
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2276/seramporecollegcalebom5.jpg

4
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6995/seramporecollege3calebsy7.jpg

Institut de Chandernagor, Chandannagar

http://institutedechandernagor.gov.in/

Chandernagor (Chandannagar) was ruled by French for about 250 years. After a referundum in 1949, this French colony was merged with India and is now part of the Kolkata Metropolitan area.

photo copyright Caleb

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2017/chandannagarcalebbh7.jpg

Hanseswari Temple, Bansberia, was built between 1801-14.

photo copyright kuttiscreate

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/5166/hanswesaritemplekuttiscjf7.jpg

The second Tipu Sultan Mosque on Anwar Shah Road

The first one here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=7513387&postcount=5)

photo copyright Dennis

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2546/southkolkatadennisca0.jpg

Sun......................interesting temple architecture. I have never seen like this one for temple. its lot more european. I doubt any other temple in India has this facade. wonderful.

Hanseswari Temple, Bansberia, was built between 1801-14.
photo copyright kuttiscreate
http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/5166/hanswesaritemplekuttiscjf7.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6499/bbdbagbherz248eu8.jpg

Looks like Paris! :)

No one's posted the planetarium... my favourite building in Calcutta.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/92/210652677_f72abccde5_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/149913044_60061ecfe2_o.jpg

The Mackinnon Mackenzie building at 16 Strand Road, on the Hooghly riverbank, is an imperial sandstone edifice, and marks the western edge of Dalhousie Square, the city’s central business district. It’s been staring down at passersby since 1927, and has always housed companies.
That’s about to change. It is to get a Rs100 crore makeover, and will be transformed into a mall. All that will remain of the old building will be its stone façade, with almost everything inside it scooped out and refurbished.


http://www.livemint.com/2007/08/24010947/Kolkata-heritage-buildings-los.html (http://www.livemint.com/2007/08/24010947/Kolkata-heritage-buildings-los.html)

The Mackinnon Mackenzie building at 16 Strand Road, on the Hooghly riverbank, is an imperial sandstone edifice, and marks the western edge of Dalhousie Square, the city’s central business district. It’s been staring down at passersby since 1927, and has always housed companies.
That’s about to change. It is to get a Rs100 crore makeover, and will be transformed into a mall. All that will remain of the old building will be its stone façade, with almost everything inside it scooped out and refurbished.


http://www.livemint.com/2007/08/24010947/Kolkata-heritage-buildings-los.html (http://www.livemint.com/2007/08/24010947/Kolkata-heritage-buildings-los.html)

in a sense it is good that these buildings are put to a good use
otherwise they tend to become white elephants for the govt..

I think this is the best available solution for now. Most of these buildings are too expensive to maintain and commercially unviable. Heritage activists and conservation activists can chatter as much as they want but all there chattering and writing and conventions has not made much impact on the street level. These people have good intentions but they maybe out of sync with the real world scenario. Even the other day a part of the building next door collapsed. One person was killed. The building had been declared unsafe. Those who live there had moved to a safer side of the building and don't want to vacate because they know they are sitting on a 'gold mine' plus they probably pay very little rent (thanks to rent control and litigation). The owners are in no position to repair these buildings. The government doesn't have money and taxpayers money have better things to do. So if private developers are coming forward and keeping the facade as a shell and rebuilding the inside, it is probably the best solution. Some architects may weep about disappearing ballrooms and wide sweep of steps, but at this moment they have no choice. If they can gather the funds, then they are most welcome to take up any building and fix it the way they want. No one will object to that.

Hey all,

I am very new on this wonderful website. I am a Calcuttan and like other die-hard Calcuttans am in awe of the great heritage buildings situated in the heart of our city. I must mention that I am a lover of history and probably because of that I am fascinated by these buildings. Needless to say, it pains me to find that these are the buildings which are on the brink of destruction.

I wanted to know specifically about a couple of buildings situated near the Dalhousie area. Can anyone on this forum, where I find a lot of like minded people help me with information about:

a) The North British Mercantile and Insurance Co Building on NS Road.
b) The Royal Exchange Building on NS Road.
c) The Standard Bank Building on Strand Road.
d) Standard Life Assurance Co Ltd Building opposite to the Postal Life Insurance building.

Any help in terms of information about these erstwhile companies, its history, and their current owners etc.

Thanks for the help,
Bandev

The Mackinnon Mackenzie building at 16 Strand Road, on the Hooghly riverbank, is an imperial sandstone edifice, and marks the western edge of Dalhousie Square, the city’s central business district. It’s been staring down at passersby since 1927, and has always housed companies.
That’s about to change. It is to get a Rs100 crore makeover, and will be transformed into a mall. All that will remain of the old building will be its stone façade, with almost everything inside it scooped out and refurbished

Many buildings in central London are like this. 18th Century facade with a 21st Century interior. This goes for offices, retial and commercial buildings and it cannot be helped. I rather they do this in Kolkata than demolised the whole thing and built something so modern it looks out of place. Heritage buildings need a use if they are brought back to life otherwise there is no point refurbishing, redeveloped and rennovating if its is going to stand empty.

It is a shame that many heritage buildings in Kolkata are in a dire need of rennovation and that the negatives out list the postives in some cases. Im all for heritage conservation but at the same time Kolkata needs to move with the times as well and have a right balance of the old and new as a compromise.

Good luck Kolkata!

Hey all,

I am very new on this wonderful website. I am a Calcuttan and like other die-hard Calcuttans am in awe of the great heritage buildings situated in the heart of our city. I must mention that I am a lover of history and probably because of that I am fascinated by these buildings. Needless to say, it pains me to find that these are the buildings which are on the brink of destruction.

I wanted to know specifically about a couple of buildings situated near the Dalhousie area. Can anyone on this forum, where I find a lot of like minded people help me with information about:

a) The North British Mercantile and Insurance Co Building on NS Road.
b) The Royal Exchange Building on NS Road.
c) The Standard Bank Building on Strand Road.
d) Standard Life Assurance Co Ltd Building opposite to the Postal Life Insurance building.

Any help in terms of information about these erstwhile companies, its history, and their current owners etc.

Thanks for the help,
Bandev


welcome on board!

Not sure if any of the forumers know in any great detail about what you are asking. But you never know. Someone may just drop by with answers.

Best of luck and if you are from Kolkata / India do take active part in the forums.

Photos cc rights suncity

The Returned Letter Office!

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9504/returnedletterkolkataii0.jpg

http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/6027/kolkataposttelecomcc4.jpg

The Central Telegraph Office

http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/704/kolkataposttelecom2pr4.jpg

Royal Insurance Building

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1633/toyalinsurancekolkatajc8.jpg

The old Reserve Bank of India Building

http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/9254/rbioldkolkatamg2.jpg

Collectorate Building and the (new) Reserve Bank of India building

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/6390/collectoratekolkataey3.jpg

Lalbazar, Kolkata Police HQ, just east of BBD Bag

http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/5481/lalbakolkatamd6.jpg

Gillander House, north of BBD Bag

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/5020/gillanderhouseje3.jpg

Balmer Lawrie Building

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/821/balmerlawriekolkatarr4.jpg

BBD Bag East - The big building is Stephen Court and there are proposals for renovation. However there are lots of litigations regarding many of the old buildings within squabbling family members and tenants which is holding up proper maintenance.

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7690/bbdbageastsfo5.jpg

The Old Koilaghat Building of Eastern Railways on Strand Road.

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/2946/strandroadkolkatasvi4.jpg

Mackinnon Mackenzie Building - this building will be getting a new life as a mall for the Future Group (Pantaloons). The facade will be maintained as it is. I think a top British architecture firm is involved in this project.

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/638/sixstrandroadkolkataeu5.jpg

The Kolkata High Court

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/3770/kolkatahighcourtfl9.jpg

Metcalfe Hall

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/8461/metcalfehallru8.jpg

AG (Accountant General) Bengal Building

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/9426/agbengalsvi2.jpg

Writers' Building - state secretariat

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/2062/writersbuildinggx7.jpg

The Statesman House, Chowringhee Square - houses the offices of the Statesman, one of India's oldest newspapers - known for its anti establishment stance.

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7545/thestatesmanhousekolkatkj2.jpg

Victoria House - headquarters of Calcutta Electric Supply (CESC) of the RPG group. CESC supplies power to the core city as well as some of the extended areas. CESC also has its own power plants.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2886/victoriahousekolkatasf7.jpg

the building in the distance is Tower House - a building that I like and want someone to restore it

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/610/towerhousekolkatatp3.jpg

I think this is called Tobacco House

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6556/tobhousekolkatavr5.jpg

Peerless on Bentinck Street

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/6914/peerlesskolkatanx2.jpg

The corner of Esplanade east - there is a growing campaign to get rid of the billboards. But billboard companies say that action against them will result in job losses.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/2462/chowringheecornersm0.jpg

Metro Cinema (established originally by the Metro Goldwyn) - at one time this area was full of cinema houses. Most have closed down with the advent of multiplexes and the failure to upgrade thinking that they would always have a captive audience. Some of the cinema houses are surviving though, including the Metro.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6497/metrocinemakolkatalx2.jpg


The clock tower of the New Market - a chaotic but a must visit old Kolkata market - it is India's oldest market of its kind.

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6358/newmarketovergroundda7.jpg

The underground market underneath the New Market. It had officially opened just a few days before my visit and not all stores had opened. It is a welcome new addition to this old Kolkata hotspot. Also here is India's first underground simpark (automated car park).

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/149/newmarketundergroundjf4.jpg

Reliance House - this was formerly ICI House but sold to India's biggest conglomerate Reliance.

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7563/reliancekolkatamc6.jpg

Virginia House - Headquarters of one of India's largest corporates - ITC

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/8588/itcvirginiakolkatawm6.jpg

Allhabad Bank, India Exchange Place

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3368/allhabadbankas6.jpg

Bible Society and YMCA in Chowringhee

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/3979/bblesocietyymcaue5.jpg

Indian Museum on Chowringhee.

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/1797/indianmusuemsspvm3.jpg

Geological Survey of India

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4756/gsisspse9.jpg

Chowringhee Mansion

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8646/chowringheemansionsspsg8.jpg

Kanak Buildings

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/9441/kanakbuildingsje7.jpg

The Oberoi Grand Hotel on JL Nehru Road.

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/3769/grandhotelsspsh0.jpg

The Great Eastern Hotel on Old Court House Street was once one of the best in the city but it fell into crumbling days. It has been taken over by the Grand Group of Delhi and they are restoring it and planning to reopen 2008-2009. It has met with some criticism by some architects who have faulted the plans. But then this may have been the best solution under current scenario.

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3406/greateasternhotelsspui2.jpg

Metropolitan Building - Once a departmental store under the British Raj, this building had become iconic of crumbling Kolkata. They are trying to restore it for the last two years and are facing problems of funds, expertise and some uncooperative tenants. One of India's biggest retail chains (http://www.pantaloon.com/bigbazaar.htm) is planning to open a departmental store. However with current opposition to big retail by small traders it remains to be seen what happens.

A before pic here (http://img415.imageshack.us/img415/6886/kolkataheritagelic18nm.jpg)

Now

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2131/licbuildsspgc8.jpg

Around North Kolkata which is a pretty congested area -

Star Theatre, Bidhan Sarani - was originally built in 1888 and it became a cradle for Kolkata's theatre movement in the early twentieth century. It was destroyed in a fire in 1991. It has been restored back now and they have made it mixed use to cater to the new market - so there is theatre, Indian and Hollywood movies as well as a food court - whatever keeps the money flowing. A private company is running it. Purists are upset.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/143/startheatresspkn7.jpg

Anjali Bari - I noticed this building near the Star Theatre, which has been restored by a Jewellery store

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7339/anjalijewellersjv6.jpg

Along Central Avenue

School of Tropical Medicine

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/9741/tropicalmedicinesspdz0.jpg

AIIHPH

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/4752/aiihphsspdp7.jpg

An apartment complex

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8244/centralavenuebuildinguq3.jpg

The fire station

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7281/centralavenuefirestatiolb2.jpg

One of the offices of the telephone company

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/889/bsnlcentralbi6.jpg

Mahajati Sadan - a public hall associated with the freedom movement

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/5408/mahajatisadansspqo5.jpg

An interesting looking school building - does anyone know the name?

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/8960/schoolcentralkolkataig4.jpg

Lots of intricate designs on this building

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/3377/centralavenuearchitectums1.jpg

The way to Jorasanko Raj Bari - the ancestral house of Rabindranth Tagore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabindranath_Tagore)-
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1403/jorasankorajbaritg7.jpg

Didn't get to visit Jorasanko but here is a photo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorasanko_Thakur_Bari) of this important building and it is also the site of the Rabindrabharati University.

Some more residential buildings

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2360/centralavenuebuildtf3.jpg

Nice. Calcutta's victorian architecture is superb.

Please see this link (already posted on the Kolkata projects thread) for the 16 Strand Road renovation/conversion.

http://www.benoy.com/html/projects.cfm?projectID=325&level2link=&projectName=16%20Strand%20Road,%20Kolkata,%20India#

Like I mentioned before many European cities have converted heritage buildings into retail, commercial & office space. The facade is retains its original look but inside has a 21st Century look for modern usages.

Win:win solution?

Oh btw, the above photos are spectacular!

Surprised me totally.

:applause:

Great photos.

Excellent photos - but those billboards have to go! India, we need neon - lets follow the rest of Asia example

Also I think it would be best if big bazaar took that building over - at least it wouldnt be covered in ads (which will happen soon, once restoration is done, probably)

Can you imagine how beautiful it would be if all the colonial buidlings (there must be millions) in Mumbai and Kolkata were restored?

What building is this ? Would look great if restored

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/8607/pict1043kq9.jpg

What building is this ? Would look great if restored



That's Stephen Court on Park Street- Middleton Row xing.

It has Flury's and MusicWorld. It can do with a good coat of paint. The top two floors should be demolished as well.

That's Stephen Court on Park Street- Middleton Row xing.

It has Flury's and MusicWorld. It can do with a good coat of paint. The top two floors should be demolished as well.

Thanks. The top two floors looks like were added later.

Any idea if this building is still there?

Source: Digital South Asia Library
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4013/gecalcutta1944xh9.jpg

Can you imagine how beautiful it would be if all the colonial buidlings (there must be millions) in Mumbai and Kolkata were restored?

Amen to that and if only!

Stephen Court would look great if it got restored and yes that two story extension looks hiddeous. Look at the white building next to it...an amazing difference.

Any idea if this building is still there?

Source: Digital South Asia Library
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4013/gecalcutta1944xh9.jpg

That's the E-Mall now.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/9234/newpicture483emallaa6.jpg

^^Thanks Sun:)I believe this should be the first of its kind in Kolkata. Hope the colonial heritage of Kolkata is preserved this way.

Photo copyright - Dhanush on picasaweb

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6295/dsc05053ht5.jpg

Photo copyright - Dhanush on picasaweb

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6295/dsc05053ht5.jpg


Good pick.
Btw, can you tell the building name, when it was built, which architectural style etc ?

Good pick.
Btw, can you tell the building name, when it was built, which architectural style etc ?

Victoria Memorial built between 1906 & 1921 containing a mix of European & Mughal elements.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Memorial_(India)

never saw the memorial this close. amazing building. :cheers:

wow, thats massive
thanks for the info mate!

Dakshineswar Kali Temple

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7661/dakhineswarkalitemplezh8.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3029229059_08edcb291f_b.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3030062568_5c24a1d131_b.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3030060600_7077d99751_b.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3030059680_e38ea2741d_b.jpg

cc:dbhker

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3029223635_512bd6f091_b.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3030464779_395ccf0136_b.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3031309400_484165695c_b.jpg

cc:dbhker

Kolkata Port Office
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3030466457_5e85612280_b.jpg
cc:dbhker

Governors' Home
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/542052389_51187e8487_b.jpg
cc:kalle Kana

Rani Rashmoni's palace @ Landsdowne place
Photo copyright: - self

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/2807/p1280009.jpg

this is how our Governor lives in Kolkata's First House.

Brown Dining Hall
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3442234955_2d3d82349f_b.jpg

This is where the oath ceremony takes place. What a royal chair!
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3442190255_279e473952_b.jpg

This is where the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice stay during their visit to the city.
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3442099077_5865538c58_b.jpg

some cool decor(feet of a dresser made out of solid gold)
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3443026700_11fc1d300c_b.jpg

Tipu Sultan's Throne
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3442985126_a4bca13edf_b.jpg

Banquet Hall
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3442151893_0d866fcd61_b.jpg

Ball Room
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u284/dave302de/3442254515_870a7c3ff9_b.jpg

Asia's First Elevator
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/kolkatawb/3442083731_58e3d2da16_b.jpg
cc:sangalina

METROPOLITAN BUILDING
Free heritage buildings of tenancy act: Experts
Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay | TNN

The best way to conserve heritage buildings in Kolkata and the rest of the state is to get these out of the purview of the current tenancy act. This would enable the owners of the building to conserve the buildings in a far better way as the owner can earn rent in accordance with the importance of the building. This was one of the opinions strongly raised at the Roundtable on Conservation of Heritage Buildings — Law and Practice organised by the British Council Calcutta Tercentenary Trust.

Significantly, the roundtable was held only a few days after the Supreme Court delivered a verdict, clearing the blockades in way of the administrative annex building in the compound of Victoria Memorial, the iconic heritage structure of Kolkata. The verdict has clearly sent conservationists into a tizzy. “Now, we acutely feel the need of brain-storming sessions leading to some necessary additions and alterations of the law governing the conservation of the heritage building. We will send the recommendation to the government,” said director, British Council, East India, Sujata Sen.

“The city is at a very crucial juncture with its increasing economic activities. It can either go the Bangalore way, by demolishing its heritage buildings to make room for modern buildings, or it can be a great heritage city with its amazing history. I think the second idea makes a lot of sense. It holds huge business proposition. Tourists from all over the world are dying to see a heritage city, not a modern match-box city,” said one of the best known conservation architects of the UK, James Simpson.

Shyam Chainani, who bolstered the creation of the country’s first heritage conservation law way back in 1977 in Mumbai, asked why conservationists are not thinking about preserving the timeless monuments beyond Kolkata. “Why isn’t there any conservation plan for the heritage building of Chinsurah, Chandernagore, Serampore, Bandel, Kalimpong, Kurseong or even Kharagpur? These are heritage precincts, much more important than individual heritage buildings.”

However, G M Kapoor of Intach, Kolkata, gave the most feasible clue on how the government approach should be regarding conservation of the city’s heritage structures. “The biggest incentive for the owner of a heritage building will be keeping it out of the purview of the tenancy act. If the government announces it, there will be a queue for enlisting heritage houses. Most of the heritage buildings are occupied by tenants who pay rents that haven’t changed for 40 years,” he said.

Citing examples of some of the finest heritage cities across the world, well-known architects like Dulal Mukherjee and Partha Das emphasised the need for commercial utilization of these buildings. “Unless you make the conservation economics-driven, it will be unsustainable,” said Das.

That is a good idea and withdrawing the Tenancy Act will go along way in helping to save these wonderful buildings and precincts.

James Simpson is right, tourists would flock to see heritage rather than a boxed city & the revenue the city can earn would be massive. Take cue from cities such as London, Paris & Rome who tourists flock to see heritage.

Kolkata Heritage
owu5yMv2IcI

All three avatars in the same page!!! my life is blessed!!

^^haha

hush

I made a 1 day tour guide of Kolkata
check it out
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113370525663488096264.00047c7a4e7a281d92b43&ll=22.552513,88.397884&spn=0.088621,0.154324&z=13

good effort :)

thanks