Here's What to Know About Victoria Memorial If You Visit It This Spring

The Victoria Memorial is a significant historical monument in Kolkata and reminds us of the city's architectural and colonial heritage. Lying against lush green lawns, this splendid memorial cum museum made of marble is among the leading tourist attractions in the city. If you stay in a different city like Bangalore and wish to explore the monument, simply catch a Bangalore to Kolkata flight, this spring. Before that, here are a few interesting things to learn about Victoria Memorial.

History

Lord Curzon, a Viceroy of India suggested this memorial be built in honour of Queen Victoria when she died in January 1901. He wanted it to be a stately edifice with a museum to give visitors glimpses of the glorious past. The Prince of Wales founded the monument on January 4, 1906. Later in 1921, the building was officially inaugurated and opened to visitors. Post-independence of India, certain additions were made to the building. If you wish to see them for yourself, head straight to Victoria Memorial after your Bangalore to Kolkata flight ends.

Architecture

Situated in Maidan, the monument features an Indo-Saracenic revivalist style of architecture that combines British and Mughal elements with Deccani, Venetian, Islamic and Egyptian elements. Created with white Markana marble, the edifice is 56 m high, 103 m long and 69 m wide.

The design of the memorial is inspired by that of the Taj Mahal. There are domed towers at the corners, domed octagonal chhatris, high portals, four small domes, a main large central dome, and a terrace. The Angel of Victory stands 16 ft high on the central dome. You can get many allegorical sculptures surrounding the dome including Architecture, Art, Justice, and Charity. In the North Porch, you will find allegorical sculptures of Learning, Motherhood, and Prudence.

Major Attractions

You can explore 25 galleries inside Victoria Memorial. They include the National Leaders Gallery, Sculpture Gallery, Royal Gallery, Portrait Gallery, Calcutta Gallery, and more. The museum houses more than 28,000 artifacts including paintings, antiquarian books, sculptures, armour, arms, and more. Special mentions among them are paintings of Indian landscapes by William Daniell and Thomas Daniell, the personal war diary of Tipu Sultan, Kalighat paintings, the handwritten Quran of Emperor Aurangzeb, the illustrated works of William Shakespeare and rare books such as Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam.

Outside the memorial, you can hang out on the sprawling green lawns. They run for about 57 acres and have statues of Queen Victoria, Arthur Wellesley, Charles Cornwallis, Rajendra Nath Mukherjee, and other prominent people. In the evening, you can enjoy an amazing light and sound show called Pride and Glory– The Story of Calcutta to learn about Kolkata's history and heritage. Here are the show's details:

• Duration: 45 minutes

• Timings:

Bengali Show: 6.45 pm to 7.30 pm (March-June); 6.15 pm to 7.00 pm (October-February)

English Show: 7.45 pm to 8.30 pm (March-June); 7.15 pm to 8.00 pm (October-February)

• Entry Fees:

Bengali Show: ₹10 per person

English Show: ₹20 per person

Click loads of pictures of the gallery exhibits and the light and sound and show them to your family after returning on your Kolkata to Bangalore flight.