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Academy
of Fine Arts
Art galleries exhibit works of
contemporary artists throughout the
year. Local theatre and dance programs
are performed in the auditorium. The
Rabindra Gallery exhibits paintings,
manuscripts and personal belongings of
Rabindranath Tagore. Open 3-8 p.m. All
trams and buses going to Rabindra Sadan
will get you here and the nearest Metro
station "Rabindra Station" is 3/4
minutes walk away.
Ashutosh Museum of Indian Art
Established in 1937, it contains museum
pieces particularly connected with
Bengal. More on museums.
Armenian Church Designed in the
early 18th century, the Armenian Church
is today the oldest extant church in
Kolkata. The interior of the church are
decorated with marble and the overhead
gallery contains mural tablets.
Asiatic Society Founded in 1784,
the Asiatic Society is the oldest
literary society of the east. The rooms
of the society contain valuable works of
art, including original paintings by
Rubens, Guiles, Reynolds and others. The
Library also has an interesting
collection of manuscripts, copper
plates, coins and engravings.
Birla Industrial and Technological
Museum is a testimony to the
Industrial and Technical development of
India and valuable to scholars of
science. More on museums.
Birla Mandir Lakshmi Narayan Temple
built in the usual temple style from
marble and granite is a huge structure,
brightly illuminated and cool when the
evening breeze make it a pleasant time
to visit.
Birla Planetarium One of the most
technically advanced in the world, the
Birla Planetarium is close to the
crossing of Theatre Road and Chowringhee
Road. Daily shows are held in English,
Hindi and Bengali as the planetarium's
gigantic projector recreates the night
sky. The Planetarium also has an
astronomical library and art gallery.
Belur Math The Math is the
headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission,
situated 6 km north of Kolkata. The
Ramakrishna Temple; which looks like a
church, mosque or temple; depending from
where it is viewed, is a building of
unique architecture that symbolizes the
unique faith of its congregation. On the
other bank of the river is the
Dakshineshwar Kali Temple where
Ramakrishna received his spiritual
vision after meditation. There are also
12 Siva temples here.
Botanical Gardens 20 km from the
heart of town is the oldest botanical
garden in India and a haven for nature
lovers. Spread over 273 acres, it
contains over 30,000 varieties of trees
and plants. The garden's main attraction
is the world's largest banyan tree, 200
years old with over 600 aerial roots.
Dalhousie Square Renamed Binoy
Badal Dinesh Bagh (also BBD Bagh), is
the hub of West Bengal/’s administration
and commerce. This is the site of all
the important government institutions of
the state and the place that houses the
now famous Writer’s Building (clerks
were known as writers in the British
India) and the old Fort William.
Dakshineswar Temple On the banks
of the Ganges near Bally bridge you can
find one temple of goddess Kali & 12
temples of God Shiva worth a photo.
Eden Gardens are laid out with
ornamental trees, shrubs, winding
foliage, sparkling fountains and a
beautiful Burmese pagoda. Well equipped
with all the latest facilities, (the
cricket stadium is located here) it is a
popular place for relaxation as well as
cricket.
Fort William Named after King
William III of England, construction of
the present Fort William was completed
at the end of the eighteenth century at
the cost of two million pounds. A
garrison of ten thousand can be
accommodated here and six hundred guns
can be mounted within its walls. Inside
the fort premises there is a church, a
market, a post and telegraph office, a
cinema, swimming pool, boxing stadium,
parade grounds, football grounds and a
firing range.
Howrah Bridge is a spectacular
construction, the third largest
cantilever bridge in the world and was
opened in 1943. The 71 ft wide bridge
can accommodate eight lanes of traffic
and is flanked by two wide footpaths.
Hastings House Situated along the
Judges' Court Road and shrouded in an
aura of legend and mystery was built in
1774 by Warren Hastings as his
residence.
High Court A panoramic view of
the city can be obtained from the corner
turrets of the building of Judicature
with a tower 54 meter high and was built
in 1872 in Gothic Style.
Jain Temple Built in the Burmese
Pagoda style by a jeweller in 1867, the
Pareshnath Jain Temple is a masterpiece
of Indian art with intricate hand
painted panels depicting scenes from
Jain mythology.
Jorasanko Palace is the ancestral
home of the famous Tagore family. The
great poet and philosopher Rabindranath
Tagore was born and died here. The
Rabindra Bharati University is devoted
to dance, drama, art and music. The
Rabindra Bharati Museum deals with the
life and times of the great poet. |
