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Victoria Memorial: Kolkata's Historic Museum

The Victoria Memorial, located on Queen’s Way in Maidan, Kolkata, is a museum established in 1921 under the Ministry of Culture, commissioned by Lord Curzon to honor Queen Victoria. It features Indo-Saracenic revivalist architecture and is made of Makrana marble, with dimensions of 103m x 69m x 56m and a surrounding garden area of 57 acres. The memorial includes various galleries and sculptures, showcasing a blend of Mughal and British architectural elements, and is open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, except on Mondays and national holidays.

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195 views2 pages

Victoria Memorial: Kolkata's Historic Museum

The Victoria Memorial, located on Queen’s Way in Maidan, Kolkata, is a museum established in 1921 under the Ministry of Culture, commissioned by Lord Curzon to honor Queen Victoria. It features Indo-Saracenic revivalist architecture and is made of Makrana marble, with dimensions of 103m x 69m x 56m and a surrounding garden area of 57 acres. The memorial includes various galleries and sculptures, showcasing a blend of Mughal and British architectural elements, and is open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, except on Mondays and national holidays.

Uploaded by

Dhanya G
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Location Queen’s Way, Maidan

Status Museum under the Ministry of Culture


Museum Timings 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; closed on Mondays and National Holidays
Garden Timings 5:30 am to 6:15 pm; every day
Nearest Metro Station Maidan
Year of Establishment 1921
Commissioned by Lord Curzon
Dimensions 103 meters (length) x 69 meters (width) x 56 meters (height)
Garden Area 57 acres
Architectural Style Indo-Saracenic revivalist
Architect William Emerson
Material Used Makrana marble

Victoria Memorial: History

The Victoria Memorial, one of the top historical places in Kolkata , is the brainchild
of Lord Curzon, a Viceroy of India. When Queen Victoria, who was the Empress of
British India, died in January 1901, Curzon suggested building a grand memorial to
honor her. He proposed the memorial to be a stately edifice with a museum where
visitors get a glimpse of the marvels of the past. The foundation for the memorial was
laid on 4 January 1906 by the Prince of Wales, who later became King George V. The
building was formally inaugurated and opened for public visits in 1921. Later,
additions were made to the memorial after India gained independence.
Victoria Memorial Architecture

Located on Queen’s Way, Maidan, Victoria Memorial features Indo-Saracenic


revivalist architectural style which displays a blend of Mughal and British elements
along with Egyptian, Islamic, Venetian, and Deccani elements. Made of white
Markana marble, the edifice has dimensions of 103 meters by 69 meters and reaches
up to a height of 56 meters.

In terms of design, Victoria Memorial draws inspiration from the Taj Mahal. It has a
main central dome, four smaller domes, high portals, domed chaatris of octagonal
shape, domed towers at the corners, and terrace. The Angel of Victory, a 16-feet tall
figure, stands on top of the central dome. You can find several allegorical sculptures
surrounding the central dome, including Charity, Justice, Art, and Architecture. The
North Porch has allegorical sculptures of Prudence, Motherhood, and Learning.

Victoria Memorial consist of a museum, Victoria gallery, Kolkata gallery, and a garden space:

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