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Located in the heart of Kolkata in West Bengal, the Victoria Memorial is one of the major historical and heritage sites of India. Constructed with sparkling white marble this structure attracts hordes of tourists from all over the world. This memorial was built in the memory of Queen Victoria to celebrate her 25 years of rule over India. This famous structure is a replica of the Victoria Memorial in London.
The Victoria Memorial is encircled by beautiful, lush green and well-maintained gardens containing plenty of statues and sculptures in it. There is a sixteen-foot tall bronze statue of victory that is mounted on ball bearings at the top of the Victoria Memorial. This statue serves to intensify the overall grandeur and appeal of the whole complex. This memorial of Queen Victoria is stunning and astonishing, especially at night, when it is lighted. The light and sound show that held in the evening is a must-watch and is an added delight. Overall, this amazing place is a must-visit for those who wish to remind the essence of the Victorian Era.
History Of Victoria Memorial:
Queen Victoria had become the figurehead of the country after the Revolt of 1857 and successfully controlled India until her death in 1901. The Memorial is one of the landmarks in the history of Indian architecture. All the credit goes to Lord Curzon who was the Viceroy of India then. In the year 1901, he placed the proposal of setting up a stately memorial for Queen Victoria, on her death. Lord Curzon gave the charge to Sir William Emerson (President of the British Institute of Architects) to design the structure and assigned the construction work to the famous company Messrs. Martin & Co. of Calcutta. The foundation stone had laid by the Prince of Wales, King George V on January 4, 1906. The memorial was formally opened to the public in 1921.
Architecture Of Victoria Memorial:
The chief architect of the Victoria Memorial, William Emerson has thoughtfully given an Indo-Saracenic style of architecture to the structure, while etching or drawing inspiration from Venetian, Egyptian, Mughal and other Islamic styles at the same time. The memorial is a 184 feet high building that is built with white color Makrana Marble that was brought from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The huge gardens that surround the memorial, and sprawled over 64 acres, were designed and planned by botanist Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain. Presently, the gardens are maintained by many gardeners and are a favorite destination for morning walkers.
The gardens of the Memorial are home to numerous sculptures. There is a bronze statue of Queen Victoria on a bronze throne that welcomes the visitor at the entrance of the memorial. While a walk around the garden visitors can come across other statues of Curzon, Edward VII, Hastings, and Dalhousie.
Timing And Entry Ticket For Victoria Memorial:
• Victoria Memorial Gallery- The visiting time of this gallery is from 10 am to 5 pm. It is opened from Tuesday to Sunday. The entrance fee for Indians is Rs. 20/-, while for foreigners, the entry fee is Rs. 200/-. Students with school uniforms up to class 7th and army personnel do not need to pay any entry fee.
• Gardens In Victoria Memorial- The gardens in Victoria Memorial are opened every day from 5:30 am to 6:15 pm, while the entry fee per person is Rs10, the yearly fee for senior citizens above 60-year-old is Rs.1000 and Rs.2000 for others.
Galleries And Exhibitions Held In Victoria Memorial:
There are over 25 galleries in Victoria Memorial including the Royal Gallery, the Sculpture Gallery, National Leaders Gallery, the Portrait Gallery, the Calcutta Gallery, and the Central Hall. The Memorial has an excellent and worthy collection of works of rare and antique books. The collection includes the adorned works of Shakespeare, the Arabian Nights and other books on dance and music. The memorial is undoubtedly a treasure trove of remarkable and noteworthy collections of weapons, paintings, textiles, artifacts, stamps, etc. A variety of informative exhibitions takes place at Victoria Memorial, along with many other events such as the celebration of important days and illustrated talks.
Light & Sound Show In Victoria Memorial:
Victoria Memorial arranges a light and sound show called Son-et-Lumiere from the month of October to June. This show does not showcase on Mondays, national holidays, Holi and other holidays. This show remains closed from the month of July to September. The show held in both Bengali and English.
Tickets Of This show: Rs. 10 (Bengali), Rs.20 (English)
Timings Of This Show:
• From October to February: 6:15 pm - 7:00 pm (Bengali), 7:15 pm - 8:00 pm (English).
• From March to June: 6:45 PM - 7:30 PM (Bengali), 7:45 PM - 8:30 PM (English)
Tips For Visiting Here:
• Photography is not allowed inside the main building of Victoria Memorial.
• People, who are not interested in visiting the galleries, can take the ticket to visit the gardens here. The details for it can be enquired at the ticket counter.
• There are many carriages available at the entrance of the Memorial for the visitors to enjoy a ride near the place.
How To Reach Here:
The Memorial can be easily reachable by all means of transport. Visitors can visit the place by bus, taxi, or an auto-rickshaw. For the Metro passengers, Maidan Metro and Rabindra Sadan Metro stations are the nearest Metro stations. Ferries are a quick and cheap alternative here and regularly taken from Princep Ghat and Bindan Ghat to reach the memorial.
