Victoria Memorial – Kolkata

Victoria Memorial is one of the most famous and captivating landmarks in Kolkata, the intellectual capital of India. Its history can be traced back to the colonial rule of the Britishers.

Victoria Memorial is built entirely with white marble rock (Makrana marbles). This monument exemplifies the perfect unison of classic European architecture and Mughal pattern. The monument is believed to have been built as a tribute to the powerful British Empire in India. The foundation stone of Victoria Memorial was laid down by the Prince of Wales in 1906. The memorial was inaugurated in the memory of Queen Victoria. 184 feet in height, the memorial is famous for its architecture and artistic beauty.

In the present times, the monument has been turned into a museum that displays British-era paintings, Victoria memorabilia and other exhibits. The Memorial houses a Royal Gallery comprising of numerous paintings of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The memorial was designed by Sir William Emerson who incorporated many features of Indo-Mughal architecture into the design. The lavish gardens in front of the monument were designed by Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain. The gardens are spread over a massive area of 64 acres.

The main Hall is huge and the measurements are 338x228x184m. Thousands of tourists visit this famous Memorial throughout the year. It is considered to be one of the famous monuments erected by Britishers in India. Therefore, lots of people from England visit Kolkata and the museum to witness the great architectural acumen of the British architects of that time.

The famous monument was funded by different princely states of India. The main motive behind the generous funding for the construction of the monument was to seek favors from the British Government. The Memorial at present is accredited with the National leaders’ Gallery that displays many portraits related to the Indian independence.