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Kolkata Attractions

Victoria Memorial Hall

Reflections of The Past

Kolkata is nothing less than a treasure for any tourist who wishes to see the best of yesteryears and present together. The city is home to so many museums that you get to know a lot in different fields. Victoria Memorial Hall, which is famous in entire country as one of the foremost British Period buildings is also present here.

Victoria Memorial Hall

Not only Kolkata, entire West Bengal takes pride in this magnificent Victoria Memorial Hall which definitely is one of the most beautiful monuments in India. The first look of the hall, styled in European and Mughal architecture, will leave you mesmerized. The entire structure, covering an area of 64 acres is completely build of white marble. The building was designed by Sir William Emerson and his assistant engineer Vincent J Esch. It was one of the biggest projects undertaken by British in India. Today, the memorial hall houses arts and artifacts depicting the British period in India. There are statues of many British officers who served in India and of Queen Victoria right at the entrance. There are many paintings as well that adorn the walls of the Victoria Memorial Hall. Some of them depict the events of Queen Victoria's life. The museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM on all days except Monday and holidays.

Birla Planetarium

Birla Planetarium is the largest of its kind in Asia and the second largest in the world. Opened to public in 1962, it was constructed by Birla Education Trust. The planetarium can accommodate almost 500 spectators for a show. The central dome is inspired by the Buddhist Sanchi stupa and replicates it to some extent. Apart from holding shows, there is a collection of celestial models, statues of famous astronomers. There are 7 shows that are shown everyday. And on holidays, extra shows are also conducted. There are three shows in English and two in Hindi and Bengali.

Science City

Science City has over the years has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in Kolkata. After being opened in the year 1997, Science city has constantly been able to attract youngsters and elders alike. It is spread over a huge area which is divided into different complexes having different attractions. The most famous of all is the space theater. It is constructed with a dome shaped ceiling that is used as the screen. There is Toy train and rope way to travel inside the park. The dinosaur section is of great interest among children. There is a convention center as well that can accommodate 2300 people. Here you also have the facility of many food courts for meals and snacks. It is open from 9 AM till 9 PM.

St Paul's Cathedral

It took almost 8 years to construct one of the most impressive structures in Kolkata. The construction of this Indo Gothic style building was started in 1839 and was finished in 1847. It was Consecrated in the year 1894. St. Paul's Cathedral is the first Episcopal Church of the Orient. The church was destroyed in 1897 by a major earthquake but was renovated quickly. It was again destroyed by an earthquake in 1934 after which the pattern of its structure was altered and the tower was made on the basis of Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral. Inside the church, the main hall contains intricately carved wooden pews and chairs. The church is open from 9 AM till noon and from 3 PM till 6 PM on all days.

Museums of Kolkata

Kolkata can fairly be termed as the city of museums. The good thing about the museums of Kolkata is that almost all of them are based on different themes which makes them all visitable without getting bored. History, science, art and crafts museums form the major chunk of museums here. Indian Museum is India's largest museum and one of the oldest museums in Asia. The main attraction of the museum is the 4000 years old Mummy kept on the second floor of the museum. The museum also has coins and fossils from different eras. Birla Industrial and Technological Museum has been a tourist destination in the city for around half a century. Although it does not have the most contemporary technologies to show, you can see the science wonders that created a wave at their time. For some light moments, one can visit the famous Nehru Children's Museum that is a hot favorite among children.