Places To Visit in Kolkata

Discover the cultural charm of Kolkata with our guide to the top places to visit. Explore iconic landmarks like Victoria Memorial and Howrah Bridge, delve into history at Indian Museum, and embrace the lively atmosphere of Park Street. From the serene Botanical Gardens to the bustling New Market, Kolkata offers a blend of history, art, and vibrant street life. Plan your trip to this city of joy and immerse yourself in its rich heritage and diverse experiences.

Kolkata is blessed with a lot of sightseeing places that suggest a rare experience to every tourister. The town has so many attractive spots to keep its visitors enjoyably engaged. From refreshing gardens, tranquil lakes, historical buildings, museums, libraries, sports stadiums to very old temples and churches, there are umpteen numbers of places to visit in Kolkata.

Making the sights more interesting are the shopping streets, enjoyment parks and mouth-watering eateries. With all these and much more, a trip around to Kolkata is sure to leave each traveler enchanted.

1. Victoria Memorial

Victoria Memorial is the seeing the sights that one cannot miss when in Kolkata. Built up in the memory of Queen Victoria, this monument was opened to the public in 1921. It was planned by the famous designer of that time, William Emerson, who was the then President of British Institute of Architects.

This spot is definitely one of the best art museums in the country with a rich gathering of paintings on imperial British families, lithographs, historical documents and artifacts. With a 184 feet tall constitution, over 64 acres of land; it presents an exciting structural design as fine.

The huge premise of the Victoria memorial consists of manicured lawn and gardens that enclose the museum arrangement all along with two giant pools in the gardens. The gardens and lawn were planned by Lord Redesdale and David Prain.

The entry of the museum gates is donned by two lions made out of marble and as one enters the gates, there sits the humongous bronze figure of Queen Victoria. This statue was sculpted in England and was shipped to India.

There are rather only a few small facts about Victoria Memorial and the most attractive between them is that it took 15 years to complete the construction of the memorial and the total cost of building went up to INR 10, 500, 000, where a main part of the funds came from Indian princely states.

 

2. Eco Tourism Park

Spread across 470 acres of land, Eco Tourism Park is a famous place to visit in Kolkata, offering a wide display of recreational choices. Also well-known as Prakriti Tirtha, it has lakes, museums, garden, amphitheater, grassland, restaurants, mist house, etc., making it a best place to take a break from the monotony of everyday life.

The whole park locale is bounded by 103 acres of water body, giving it the form of an island. The three parts of the park are Ecological Zone, Theme Garden and Open with an array of tricks that take in zorbing, kayaking, cycling, rowing, paddle boating, speed boat rides, etc. which the guests can want to indulge in as per their interests.

There are official conference rooms as fine as cottages to rent out for arranging both individual as well as official engagements. The place of the park makes it a total goal for a weekend getaway where one can unwind after a wild work week.

 

3. Marble Palace

One more spot to visit in Kolkata is the Marble Palace, which was constructed in the year 1835. As the name suggests, it has been built up with marble. Built as the personal land of Raja Rajendra Mullick, who was a property-owner, this palace is frequently referred to as the ‘Palace of Art’.

The family members of the Raja’s family still reside in the palace while one can also visit and approve of its nice structural design and the wealthy and creative collection. It houses a small zoo where you can place various types of birds and animals. It’s a variety of fine oil paintings and original works of famous painters, sculptures, pictures and other artifacts are worth exploring.

There is a Jagannath temple inside the premises which can be visited only from outer while it is just the family members who have access inside the temple. The specialty of this holy place is that it was built up even before the palace was built.

The architectural method of the structure is a combination of traditional Bengali and Chinese essentials and was built up with over 120 diverse varieties of marbles, collected from various parts of the country. The marble pillars, walls and floorings of the mansion have carvings that allow resemblance to one of the earliest wonders of the world, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

 

4. Nicco Amusement Park

Placed in the classy Salt Lake City of Greater Kolkata, Nicco Amusement park extends crosswise a whole area of 40 acres which makes it the main amusement park of Eastern India and it is perfect to spend a whole day at leisure time to enjoy and have a good time with family here.

It was opened for civic in the year 1991 and houses over 35 diverse attraction which take in water rides, laughter rides such as Toy Train, Tilt-a-Whirl, Striking Cars, Paddle Boat, Water Chute, Water Coaster, Flying Saucer, Pirate Ship, River Caves, Cyclone and Moonraker.

The Nicco Park is too qualified Green Park and maintenance with the green theme, there is a greenhouse with a diversity of plants grown and sold by the Indo-American Hybrid Seeds Limited, an association which also runs the greenhouse.

The park is run as a combined plan between Nicco Corporation Limited and the Government of West Bengal. The conception of the thought of an amusement park was made by Rajive Kaul, who is the Chairman of Nicco Group, on the 300th anniversary of the founding of Kolkata.

To one side from the fun rides and exhibits, the park also provides instructive leisure for kids under which there are rather instructive exhibits within the park premise along with information on the technical mechanism behind all rides right at the entry gates of each ride.

Also, there is a solar power village set up inside the park for children to identify with how non-conventional power sources can be utilized as alternatives in its place of fossil fuels thereby making an attempt of conserving them.

The Nicco Park has also received many awards and recognitions at nationwide as well as global levels. Its river caves have been rated as most famous and inventive rides of 2010 and the giant cyclone was rated as perfect indigenously manufactured ride of 2007 by the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries.

 

5. Indian Museum

Built up in 1814, Indian Museum in Kolkata is considered to be the oldest museum of the country. Founded by Asiatic Society of Bengal in Kolkata, its creator curator was a botanist from Denmark, Dr. Nathaniel Wallich. It was opened to the public in 1878. With six main sections and over 60 galleries, this museum is the main museum in the country. It also boasts of being the ninth oldest museum in the world.

A wide compilation of Mughal paintings, fossils, armor, mummies, skeletons, ornaments and antiques are shown here. Not only with a rich collection, has this museum captivated guests with stunning structural design as well. It was planned by Walter B Grawille, an Italian architect.

 

6. Kalighat Temple

Out of the 51 Shakti Peethas, Kalighat Temple of Kolkata is considered to be one of the most vital. It was previously a ghat on the older route of River Hooghly, which also led to the name of the city. Kalighat is thought to be the place where Goddess Sati’s right foot toes fell off from her burnt body in Lord Shiva's Rudra Tandava.

There is speech out of Kalighat temple in 15th and 17th century literature too. It is said that the rare temple, which was a little hut, was built in the early 16th century. However, the present arrangement of the temple is said to be only 200 years old.

The Kalighat temple is to be found by the banks of Adi Ganga, a little canal which falls into the Hooghly River. It is supposed that the way of this canal was the original course or path of the Hooghly River and thus, it is named Adi Ganga where ‘Adi’ means ‘Original’. The existence of archer crashes that were famous in the Gupta time, prove the fact that the temple had been present at the same place in Gupta period.

The temple site houses a couple of smaller temples, one dedicated to Shiva and is called Nakuleshwar Mahadev Temple and the additional temple is devoted to Radha- Krishna and the locals call it Shyamo- Ray temple. There are few raised platforms in the courtyard of the temple premises to bring out certain tricks and also for watching the ritual that takes place inside the sanctum sanctorum.

An attractive trivia which relates Kalighat and Kolkata is that, the presiding divinity of Kalighat goes by the name ‘Kalika’, and the city of Kolkata is named after her.

 

7. Alipore Zoological Gardens

Generally well-known as the Alipore Zoo or Calcutta Zoo, the Alipore Zoological Garden established and opened in 1876, is the oldest official zoo of India. The zoo spans a total part of around 46.5 acres and has been home to some original mammals, reptiles and bird types.

It was first established as a project of Indian Natural History, the personal menagerie owned by Richard Wellesley, the then Governor General of India in 1800. Later it went on to turn into the primary formal zoo of India.

The set up of the zoological garden was successful in 1875, after 3 failed attempts, in 1842, 1867 and 1873 in that order. The very first collections of the zoological garden came from private collections of the elites and nobility.

The zoological garden is home to about 1266 animals that are a combination of primates, herbivores and carnivores belonging to 108 dissimilar types. Between the avian populations, there are foreign pheasants, cockatoos, macaws, storks, and a few endangered kinds like Spoonbill.

The Reptile House of the Alipore Zoological Garden is located in a special corner, custom designed as per the exact need of every occupant, be it snakes, marsh crocodiles or ghariyals. The centrally situated water bodies within the zoo site magnetize a lot of wandering bird population every year.

The mention of Rai Bahadur Ram Brahma Sanyal, the first director of the garden becomes a must when Alipore Zoo comes into picture because of his massive contribution towards the captive breeding of flora and fauna joined with his dedication to provide accurate food and medical care to the animals. His observations were recorded and available in his book “A Handbook of the Management of Wild Animals in Captivity in Lower Bengal" in 1892.

 

8. Kolkata Race Course

Boasting of being one of the oldest racecourses in India, Kolkata Race Course is the destination where the primary ever horse race was conducted. It's perfect landscape makes it a must- see on your Kolkata tour. Many of the horse races are conducted in public holidays and over weekends; however the perfect moment to visit this is in the months of September to March.

The raceway is maintained by the Royal Calcutta Turf Club. Created in 1820 for the East India elites as a normal spot for societal gathering, sports and other amusement, the race course serves as a huge reminder of the royal time.

The polo ground placed nearby to the race course is said to be the greatest in India. When there were no horse races prepared, the elites of the town arranged for polo matches organized by the Royal Calcutta Turf Club.

 

 

9. Howrah Bridge

Also called as Rabindra Setu, Howrah Bridge is considered to be the busiest bridge in the earth and a fine example of 20th century engineering. A famous spot to visit in Kolkata, Howrah Bridge stands over the Hooghly River. Around 705 meters long, this bridge connects Kolkata to Howrah.

It was built up in 1874 on two 270 feet tall pillars, without the usage of nuts and bolts. There are two extra bridges at extra points of the Hooghly River, namely Vivekananda Setu and Vidyasagar Setu.

It is considered the symbol of Bengal’s history and culture as the bridge has witnessed some past events, both World War I and II included. The bridge was called an architectural marvel at the period of its building unpaid to its sorting as ‘Suspension Type Balanced Cantilever’ type arrangement, and was the third greatest cantilever bridge in the earth.

The main quantity of high-tension steel necessary for the bridge’s building was custom-made from Tata Steel and the whole project cost INR 25 million.

Today, the bridge is considered to be the busiest beam bridge in the world as it serves as a gateway to over 200, 000 vehicles and 150, 000 pedestrians every single day.

 

10. Jorasanko Thakurbari

A visit to Kolkata is incomplete without visiting the ancestral home of one of its most loved populace, who also happens to be the first ever Asian to win the coveted Nobel Prize. Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the family home of Rabindranath Tagore, who was a poet and an artist, is a not to be missed place in Kolkata.

The Thakur Bari, which exactly means, ‘House of Tagore’s’ has at the present been transformed into Rabindra Bharati University and supplied as a center for Indian Classical very well Arts and brilliance education. A part of the building was changed into a museum in 1961 and is called Rabindra Bharati Museum. It exhibits the life and stories of all members of the Tagore family. It is a splendid ‘red brick’ mansion built on a whole area of 35,000 square meters.

It wasn’t just Rabindranath Tagore who was a human being of importance in the house; all members of the Tagore family were well-known for their importance in various walks of life, as well as the women of the family.

It is interesting to know that the purdah system which was prevailing in pre- independent India was never followed in the Tagore family. The women were equally encouraged to join in discussions pertaining to politics, traditions, art, literature, business and other worldly matters. One gets to get a glimpse of this and understand the family better while cruising through the museum.

Today, Jorasanko Thakur Bari is a must visit center for all artists and art lovers from across the earth. It remains as popular as it used to be in the pre- independence period when all reorganization activities, be it art or cultural, brewed right inside this mansion, including Bengal regeneration and Brahmo Samaj.

 

11. National Library

The biggest library in India, National Library is a vital place to visit in Kolkata. Built up with the prime idea to preserve, gather and hand out fictional resources that are created in India, the National library is a destination that will interest everybody.

Increase over 30 acres of land; it is placed on the Belvedere Estate in Alipore. This library is now managed by the Dept. of Culture, department of Tourism & Culture, Government of India. Its rich collection consists of books in approximately all the famous languages of the country, varying from Telugu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and many more. The library also has a division for children.

 

12. Mother House

The headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, which is commonly well-known as ‘Mother House’ was, originate by Mother Teresa in 1950, with the reason to serve up humankind. As her last resting place, her tomb lies in the same spot.

Guests can also see the house where she has spent most years of her life down with the tomb. It is a vital spot to visit in Kolkata. A little museum has also been built up near the building, showcasing the life of Mother Teresa and whatever minimal utilities she lived with.

The artifacts and exhibits of the museum take in handwritten letters of Mother Teresa, her sarees, her crucifix and rosary, her worn out slippers and a worn out bowl. Her handwritten holy urgings are also situated as exhibits here. They are a reflection of the humility with which she spends her life.

The burial spot or the room where Mother Teresa’s tomb is built up is used by guests for offering prayers and thoughts. Sometimes, there is a pilgrim grouping lots conducted here in being there of priests though; there is a want of an advanced notification to carry out such requests.

 

13. Shaheed Minar

Knowing the history of Kolkata, it is quite clear that there were a lot of wars and rising fights here, which makes the city a spot of memorials. Placed in the Esplanade of Kolkata, next to the Brigade grounds, stands the Shaheed Minar, which translates to ‘Martyr’s Monument’.

It was first built in memory of Sir David Ochterlony, who was a Main General of Bengal Artillery in the British East India Company. The memorial monument was initially named as Ochterlony Monument and was built to commemorate East India Company’s victory over the Marathas in Delhi in 1804 and Gurkha War in 1816.

Planned by planner J. P. Parker, the monument is mostly a merge of lots of architectural design with basics encouraged from Middle Eastern and Turkish designs. The ground near the monument has remained an observer to several political tricks.

 

14. Rabindra Sadan

Established in the year 1967 on Belvedere Street, Rabindra Sadan is one of the oldest cultural  centers and is a prime site for theater and several film festivals in Kolkata. It was named Rabindra Sadan in memory of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Being the center for traditions and fine arts, artists from all over the world visit and take part in theater and performing arts.

It is attractive to well-know that the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1961 and the construction was completed in 1967.

The whole complex houses more than a few cultural centers like Rabindra Sadan Stage, Nazrul Academy, Nandan- a fil and cultural center sponsored by the government, Gaganendra Pradarshanshala, Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi- the official regulatory body of the Bengali language in West Bengal, and the auditorium named Sisir Mancha.

 

15. Park Street

When in Kolkata, one cannot and must not keep away from a visit to Park Street, the center of the city’s sunset recreation and incident night life by this means fast its reputation as ‘the street that never sleeps’. The park street locale area is thronged with teenagers and elites similar owing to the various places it offers.

To one side from the center of most famous landmark legacy buildings of the town, Park Street is also popular for the food, therefore, is also called the ‘Food Street’. It is the spot where the iconic South Park Street Cemetery is situated, which is considered among the most ghostly spots of India.

A few of the popular restaurants and nightclubs in the local area are Trinca’s, Peter Cat, Moulin Rouge, Mocambo, Blue Fox, Charcoal Grill, Tung Fong, Over the Top and Only Pub. Park Street also offers shopping experience for equally street shoppers and elites.

 

 

16. Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Devoted to Devi Bhavatarini, a form of Goddess Kali, Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a destination that attracts hordes of devotees all day. Built in 1847 by the Queen of Janbazar, Rani Rashmani; this temple stands on the banks of River Hooghly. Increased over an; local area of 25 acres, this temple is exactly regarded as surrounded by Hindu devotees who come here to look for Goddess’s blessings and get relief of their problems.

 

There is both spiritual as well as socio- political meaning attached to the past of the temple. When it comes to discussion about the structural design, the holy place construction was built up in traditional ‘Navaratna’ (nine spires) style which is connected with the Bengal School of architecture. It took 8 years and an amazing amount of INR 900,000 to complete the constitution.

The temple became popular among the devotees after Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa took over as the head priest after the death of his elder brother. Being a passionate devotee of Goddess Kali, he made rather a few changes to socio- religious surroundings in Bengal.

Rani Rashmani, the organizer of the temple, was equally vital in getting the status of the temple prevalent. As opposed to the old attitude, she opened the temple gates for every division of the society, therefore breaking the communal barrier of class, caste, creed and religion.

The huge quad of the main temple has 12 smaller Shiva temples the same to each other with black stone shiva lingas. The Shiva temples signify 12 Jyotirlingas and the temples are constructed in classic Bengal architectural style called ‘Aat- Chala’ (eight eaves). It is now in one of the Shiva temples that Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa attains explaining.

 

 

17. MP Birla Planetarium

Between the a lot of popular landmarks and attractions of the City of Joy, Birla Planetarium, which insecurely resemble the Sanchi Stupa in plan, has its own rare by person the oldest and main planetariums in Asia, and second largest in the world. It was built in 1962 and had a grand inaugural at the hands of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, who was the then Prime Minister of India.

The plan to build a planetarium in India was conceived by the popular manufacturer and humanitarian, Mr. M. P. Birla, the organizer of the M. P. Group. He wanted it to not only be a planetarium but also an institute where education on astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology would be passed out.

The institute offers a 10- month course in astronomy on a weekly basis without any charges. The lessons are conducted in the evenings. Additionally, there are also graded programs for school kids of all age groups and detailed post- graduate diploma lessons in Astronomy and Planetary Sciences for students who major in Physics and Mathematics.

One of the rare features of Birla Planetarium of Kolkata is that there are live lectures in the shows, which helps guests to increase extra information, generally trivial, therefore giving them a chance to relate with industry experts.

One of the reasons for the popularity of Birla Planetarium is also because of its location within the vicinity of Maidan local area and being in close proximity to the Victoria Memorial and St. Paul’s Cathedral, two most iconic structures of Kolkata, being significant in terms of both history and structural design.

 

18. Belur Math

Belur Math, the head office of Ramakrishna Math and Mission is a temple for seekers of spiritual fulfillment and makes it a must to visit destination as it follows a non- sectarian and spiritual move toward. It is raised across an entire local area of 40 acres, and is bounded by palm trees and well maintained gardens.

The temple itself is the sign of one universal trust and is visited by citizens from all over the world. The Math was conceptualized and founded via the chief disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda in the 20th century. The thought behind setting up such an organization was ‘selfless service of God in man’.

Unpaid for its impressive architecture, peaceful ambience and historical significance, Belur Math has become a must visit destination in Kolkata.

It was Swami Vijnanananda, who designed the Belur Math temple, which is built up in chunar stone and solid in an area locale spanning 32, 900 four-sided figure feet and 113 feet high. Since it is based on one universal faith, the elements and styles of design are inspired by religious diversity and mix together every year very smoothly. Due to this, the monument appears to be a temple, a cathedral and a mosque when seen from different angles.

Due to the many facets of its design, the monument has also been named as ‘Symphony of Architecture’ by the Ramakrishna Mission. The architect was also a direct disciple of Shri Ramakrishna.

Apart from the central monument, there is a museum which exhibits information and personal belongings of Ramakrishna and others, and temples of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, wife of the great sage Sri Ramakrishna and all direct disciples of the sage. There is also a Samadhi enclosure which houses a marble plaque with names of 7 direct disciples of Shri Ramakrishna who were cremated there.

Participating in their volunteering services is a good way to be related with and appreciate the philosophies of the Mission.

 

19. Fort William

Kolkata is a treasure trove of the history and past building and one more must visit place that played a very important part in India’s history is Fort William. It was named after King William III or William of Orange. The Fort William that now stands strong is the second and original fort which was commissioned by Sir Robert Clive in 1758 and was completed in 1781. The old Fort William was a smaller two- storeyed arrangement built in 1696 and is well-known as the infamous ‘Black hole of Calcutta’.

The new Fort William was built after British East India defeated and killed the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daulah in the Battle of Plassey. The new fort was built up in a division locale area and with a stronger defense construction laid over 5 acres of land. The fort building is octagonal in shape and the uneven star plan makes it impossible. Fort William is the only fort in the entire world which could never be besieged.

Today, Fort William acts as the military headquarters of Eastern Command with a capability to hold around 10,000 army personnel at a time. The fort compound has a museum wherein the exhibits are collected works of utilities or ammunition or cannons captured in a time of war right from medieval to current day. Among them, a couple of such attractions are the cannons and tanks captured in the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971.

The fort has a boxing ring, swimming pool, firing range, restaurants, outdoor playground, shopping complex, movie theater, post office, library and laundry. The entrance to the fortress is restricted for civilians without prior permits however; the Indian Army arranges a special display on 16th December every year, which is celebrated as ‘Vijay Diwas’.

 

20. Birla Mandir

Birla Mandir of Kolkata is one more popular place to visit in the town. Its remarkable structural design with intricate figure and sculpt that has been built up at a height of 160 feet above the earth, present a mesmerizing vision. Built up in white marble; it is increased over a locale area of 130 acres of land. Started in 1970, its construction was finished in 1996. Also well-known as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Birla Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha.

Separately from the principal deities, the temple also has statues of other Hindu Gods- Shiva in thought mode, Goddess Durga and Goddess Shakti.

Built up by the illustrious Birla Family of West Bengal, the temple has structural resemblance to the Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar in Odisha and has a massive number of devotees from far off places visiting during the Janmashtami festivities.

Built up with a combination of design elements from both traditional and contemporary art; it is considered one of the premium architectural works of the country with fine and intricate artworks adorning the dome, pillars and walls of the temple. The marble walls have pictorial carvings of teachings and verses from the Bhagavad Gita. The whole structure was designed by architect Nomi Bose.

The temple is located on Ballygunge Road in South Kolkata.

 

21. Aquatica Water Park

Increase crosswise an entire local area of 17 acres; the Aquatic Water Park in Kolkata is measured to be the biggest water themed park of Eastern India. The water park is located in Hitachi, near RajarHat Township and was built in 1999. To get your dose of weekend go away when in Kolkata, a visit to this theme park becomes necessary.

As the name suggests, the park’s main attraction is its various themed water rides however, the site also has resort facilities wherein the guests can select from the deluxe and super deluxe rooms and book themselves a relaxed stay over the weekend and unwind.

When it comes to the themed water rides, there are always options for each age group and they include Jungle safari, Black hole, Raft slide, Aqua dance, Niagara Falls, Cyclone, Wave pool, Lazy river, The Family pool, Pendulum and Multi-lane. Between these, the wave pool is the most popular and is rated highest on the required scale.

In addition to resort and rides, Aquatica Park also offers services for corporate and large-scale events which also include weddings and receptions. There are conference halls, party lawns and an Aqua Hall that are specifically designed to host wedding receptions along with a few large scale corporate events that require a setup of formal sit- down dinners.

The 3 open lawns are named Aqua lawn, which is the largest among the open lawns, Central lawn which is surrounded by the lazy river and the third one is called Niagara Lawn as it has the Niagara fall ride which makes a pretty backdrop.

 

22. Rabindra Sarobar

An artificial lake which was dug out of a marsh, the Rabindra Sarobar is the second main water body of Kolkata; it increases crosswise 73 acres out of the total green cover of 192 acres which constitutes indigenous flora and vegetation. The lake was made in 1921 and has become much loved for thousands of morning walkers and joggers of the nearest area.

Considered as a main environmental and environmental preserve, the Rabindra Sarobar has been named as a water body of general significance and also been confirmed to be a ‘National Lake’ in 1997. The lake also becomes home to quite a few wandering birds in winter and is a sight to watch. Several birding enthusiasts gather at the lake this time.

 

23. Tipu Sultan Mosque

The multi-dome mosque in the heart of Esplanade in the city of Kolkata tells tales of a fallen royal family. The mosque in question is the Tipu Sultan mosque which was built by Prince Ghulam Mohammed Anwar Shah, the youngest son of the legendary and brave King of Mysore, Tipu Sultan.

Constructed in the year 1832, the mosque nearby well-known as Tipu Sultan Shahi Masjid is an architectural and traditional legacy with double aisles and tall minarets. It is thought that the family of Tipu Sultan was exiled in the then town of Calcutta after the king was killed.

Required to live a ruined life after the death of his father, the young prince started saving the income he received from the British East India Company and used his innovative skills to obtain all the property from South to Central Kolkata. He built double mosques in respect of his father, Tipu sultan and named both the mosques after him.

The mosque may not be very well-liked but payable to its attractive history, is visited by the populace from faraway and broad.

Along with these, there are a few more attractive spots to visit in Kolkata such as South Park Street Cemetery, Town Hall, Nakhoda Mosque, etc. And if you have a day or two extra days, then you can plan a visit to a variety of sightseeing spots near Kolkata city. Some of these are Sundarbans National Park, Shantiniketan, terracotta temples of Bishnupur and beaches in Digha and Mandarmani.

 

 

24. Eden Gardens

Being the oldest cricket ground of India, Eden Garden is nothing less than a pilgrimage for cricket fanatics and has been named as one of the most iconic cricket stadiums in the world. It is situated for some past moment connected to the activity.

With a seating capacity of 68,000, it has undergone many improvements while it’s building. The first ever first- class match that was hosted in this stadium was in 1917-18. The first test match in Eden gardens was played in 1934 though the first ODI match was played in 1987. It is indeed a destination worth visiting in Kolkata.

It is not only the biggest cricket stadium in India but the second biggest in the world, second to the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. It is home to the Bengal Ranji Team and IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders. Eden garden is famous for being home to the loudest and liveliest audience and has been called ‘The Lords of Indian Subcontinent’ by former Australian captain, Steve Waugh.

The slight fact about Eden Garden is that it was at first named ‘Auckland Circus Gardens’ but later was distorted to ‘Eden Gardens’, after the Eden sisters of Lord Auckland Eden, Emily and Fanny Eden.

 

25. Science City

Science City in Kolkata, organism the biggest science center in the whole Indian subcontinent, is one of the main attractions and is a must visit as it offers one of a kind experience for the guests. The Science City is a perfect place to experience the blend between Science and Entertainment. It was opened in 1997.

It is a point of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and was on the way with the single motto of popularization of science. Built up on what used to be a clearance ground for more than 100 years, the Science City lies over a 50 acre land. The complex is divided into two portions namely, the Science Centre and the Convention Centre.

Paul Jozef Crutzen and Mr. Jyoti Basu, the then CM of West Bengal had inaugurated the gathering Centre in December 1996. The complete center was inaugurated by Mr. Indra Kumar Gujral, the then Prime Minister of India in July 1997.

The center which is equally famous among home as well as worldwide travelers has a dedicated division for water worlds that houses some of the most foreign fish and insects. Additionally, this part is also home to Space Odyssey, Dynamotion, Science Exploration Hall, Marine Centre, Earth Exploration Hall and a sprawling Science Park.

 

26. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden

Built up in the 18th century; the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden extends over 109 hectares. With over 14,000 trees, shrubs, creepers and climbers planted together, the garden houses 1400 diverse types of flora. It is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions of Kolkata, with lush greenery and refreshing ambiance to relax. It has an orchid house, an in-house library, and false lakes with the ability of boating as well.

The garden was conceptualized in 1787 by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kyd, an army officer of the British East India Company. The garden was called East India Company Bagan and has been renamed a lot since 2009 when it was named after the famous Indian Scientist, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose.

The Botanical garden has an envious collected works of quite a few foreign plants including rare and endangered types, which is conserved into 25 divide divisions. These collectives are placed in glass houses, greenhouses and conservatory depending on the kind of surrounds they have to for their well- being.

The garden houses the oldest herbariums of the condition which was named Central National Herbarium. It is one of the widest herbariums in the entire world with 2.5 million specimens of dried plant life. This is maintained by the Botanical Survey of India.

Some of the unique collection takes in Victoria Amazonian, a kind of water lily, double coconut, Krishnabot and the Shiva Lingam tree. It is attractive to know that all the false lakes inside the garden are organized via underground pipes, which are once more connected to the river for smooth inlet and outlet of water via sluice gates.

The actual highlight of the botanical garden is its 250-year-old banyan tree, occupying a locale area of 1.89 hectares forming the largest canopy in the world. The tree finds mention in the Guinness Book of World Record, in just about all travel books and is importantly called ‘The Great Banyan Tree’.

 

27. Writers’ Building

At first built up for the secretarial and the directorial staff in the 1690s, Writer’s Building which is also well-known as Mahakaran, is now used as the Secretariat of West Bengal Government. The buildup was named Writers as the junior staff was called writer back then.

The nearby inspiring building of the writer's building was built in the tenure of Lt. Governor Ashley Eden in 1877. The building was done in the place of an old building. Paced in the kindness of the town, its red color and massive construction is impossible to miss when in Kolkata.

 

28. St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral is a historical building with spiritual consequence. The establishment of this building was laid out in 1839 though its building was completed after 8 years.

Planned by Main William Nairn Forbes, the building of the cathedral was built up in Indo-Gothic architectural style. However, due to natural calamity, it was destroyed two times. Later in 1934, St. Paul’s Cathedral was again constructed with an architectural similarity to Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral. Its good-looking organization makes it a spot worth visiting.

 

29. Raj Bhawan

First built in 1803, across a land area of 27 acres, the Raj Bhavan of Kolkata is the official house of the Governor of West Bengal. Boasting of an impeccable structural design and bounded by huge gardens, the Raj Bhavan is nearby to the civic body only upon producing administration photo ID cards. For international guests, both original and photocopies of passports are a must. Visitors are known to guide tours of the construction.

The scandalous but attractive story behind the structure of the Raj Bhavan dates back to 1799 when the then Governor-General of India Marquess Wellesley was sure to have a splendid house to himself as a sign of his position. It took him four years and around 63,000 pounds to complete the building, which did not go very well with the assets of the East India Company. He was lastly sent back to England after being accused of rude usage of Company money.

Planned by designer Captain Charles Wyatt, the construction is built up in neo- classical architectural style with baroque overtones. The exciting halls and curved corridor, balconies, throne room, banquet halls, built-up suites are worth a visit to get the feel of the regal luxury.

 

30. Princep Ghat

One of the tourist attractions of one’s Kolkata trip must be a visit to Princep Ghat. Placed among Fort William’s St. George Gate and the WaterGate, Princep ghat was constructed in 1843 using Palladian style structural design with Gothic and Greek inlays. The memorial was planned by W. Fitzgerald and named after the Anglo- Indian scholar James Prinsep to honor his donations to the fields of archaeology, meteorology, and very old Indian scriptures.

With the Vidyasagar Setu in the background, sunsets from Princep Ghat are a view to admire. Most local’s area gathers here in the evenings and wait till dusk as it offers one of the most stunning dusk views. One can also take a walk on the recently constructed riverfront that stretches from Princep ghat to Babughat and the whole stretch is lined by garden and fountain.