South Kolkata attractions. India
This area is home to attractions such as St. Paul's Cathedral and the Queen Victoria Memorial.
St. Paul's Cathedral is located in the southeast corner of Maidan Park on Cathedral Road. It was built in 1839-1847. in the Indo-Gothic style according to the project of W.N. Forbes. In 1897 and 1934. the bell tower was damaged during strong earthquakes. The Bel-Harry Tower (Tower of Angels) in Canterbury was taken as a model of the current bell tower (1938). The design took into account the seismic resistance of the new structure. Among the notable details of the interior is the altar-piece, decorated with Florentine mosaics. It depicts the Annunciation, Adoration of the Magi and Flight to Egypt. The mosaic panels were created by Arthur Blomfield. The organ was installed in 1881. The coats of arms of Indian cities are depicted on the seats in the choirs.
To the west of the cathedral in the southern part of the park is the most significant symbol of British rule in India, the Queen Victoria Memorial. The complex was built in 1906-1921. under the direction of William Emerson, President of the Royal Institute of Architects.
The memorial is located behind two large decorative ponds. The main approach to him is Queen's Way. At the center of the road leading to the north entrance is the statue of Queen Victoria. The back of the bronze royal throne depicts a British lion under the imperial sun. The gate was designed by Vincent Ash, and the bronze panels on the sides of the bridge on which the statue stands were designed by William Goskum John. A bronze statue of Victory (height 4.8 m) is installed on the main dome. The domes at the corners are made in the Mughal style. The southern and northern parts of the complex are connected by open colonnades. At the southern entrance through a triumphal arch, built in honor of Edward VII according to McKennal's design, there is a statue of the initiator of the construction of this complex, Lord Curzon (1859-1925, Viceroy of British India in 1899-1905).
Queen Victoria Memorial
Inside the main lobby, there are bronze busts and marble statues of noble people who played an important role in the development of relations between Great Britain and India. Queen's Hall is the most prominent hall of the complex. It contains a statue of young Victoria, and high on the walls are frescoes depicting episodes from the life of the Queen.
In the halls and galleries, you can see collections of paintings, sculptures, books and manuscripts in total over 3,500 items from the era of British rule. Notable exhibits include a painting depicting the entry of Prince Albert (future King Edward VII) into Jaipur in 1876, as well as French weapons captured at the Battle of Plessis (1757), and the black marble throne of the Nawab of Bengal, defeated by Robert Clive…. Alipore
Alipore is located in the southern part of Kolkata and is an urban park area. The Alipore Zoological Gardens, founded in 1875, is located here. It presents many species of birds and mammals, among which the tigeon (tiglon), a cross between a tiger and a lion, stands out.
The nearby Belvedere Estate (XVIII), built in the Italian Renaissance style as the seat of the Governor of Bengal, now houses the National Library. Her collection includes over 2 million books and manuscripts.
National Library in Kolkata
Next is the Agri Horticultural Society, founded in September 1820 by missionary William Carey to develop and promote advanced technologies in agriculture. In the first 40 years of its existence, the society actively imported various seeds, bulbs and ornamental plants from Britain, South Africa and Southeast Asia to India. Nowadays it possesses an extensive collection of rare trees, shrubs and medicinal plants.