Places to see in Kolkata

One of the largest cities in India, Kolkata is certainly a city of joy and the cultural capital of the country. Knowing for rich heritage and culture and is also known for individuals who are strong and well rooted  in terms of  intellectual and creative pursuits. The city is also known as the place of the renaissance and hence is certainly the epicenter of thought and understanding and also newness of the coast.



The places to visit in Kolkata include:

BBD Baugh- This place is known as the epicenter of the seat of power in the pre independence era of India. This was also one of the known as the center of the freedom struggle. Situated to next to the city of Hooghly the city is now the power center of the Kolkata and houses The Writer’s Building, Royal Exchange where once Robert Clive used to reside and is presently the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Secretariat of the Government of West Bengal, St. John’s Church and Telephone Bhawan.

National Library- There are few individuals who would take the offer of going into the library. However Kolkata is one of the oldest and the most visited libraries. There are various regional language divisions in the library. One can find books primarily in languages like Bengali, Assamese, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Kashmiri, Marathi, Sanskrit and Urdu. One of the divisions of the library has a major collection of books written in Pali and Prakrit. There are a vst number of books in almost each and subject of learning and comprehension and as such is preferred place not only for book lovers and normally visitors and alike. There are also manuscripts that are availbel date back to the former times of the past.

Dakshineshwar temple- the temple of Dakshineshwar is known as the oldest and the largest temples one of the prime attractions of the temple, the Ganga River that flows by the temple is the place for all the visitors to take a holy dip. Standing opposite to the main temple are the 12 temples of Lord Shiva. Dakshineswar received its prominence after Rama Krishna Paramahamsa achieved spiritual enlightenment here and started spreading the words of Goddess Kali. Several festivals and observance are followed in the temple and the premises. Every evening prayers and supplications are offered in the evenings in the temple and the chants so called rise to the hilt in term of religious fervor.

Fort William- This is also one of the prime tourist’s destination in Kolkata. Situated on the banks of the river Hooghly was named after the William III and was established in the time of the British. It was the guardroom of this two-storied building, where the black hole tragedy took place. During the Plassey war in 1757, Siraj Ud Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal attacked on the fort and defeated the Britishers. This paved way for the construction of a new fort by British. The present structure as it seen today was built by efforts of Sir Robert Clive. The basic purpose of this fort was to protect the fort from siege of the Muslim Invaders. Today the fort stands as the venue for various exhibitions and the foundation stone of the temple is still intact and till toady the place is secured and  hence is still used for military activities.

Birla Planetarium- this is one of the largest space centered museums in Asia.  It came into existence in the year 1962 and the credit for establishing this wonderful center of science, communication & environment goes to Birla Education Trust. It is situated at the Eastern metropolitan bypass of Calcutta.  The planetarium is now in particular for the vivid scale in which astronomical presentations are done in the planerium. Calcutta Birla planetarium is a single storied circular edifice designed in the typical Indian style. It is a must see place for those interested in astronomy. Its astronomy gallery maintains a huge collection of fine paintings & celestial models of renowned astronomers. It enables you to explore science outdoors.

Marble Palace- This is one destination that tourists can not miss while on stay in Kolkata. The Marble Palace houses it is an exquisite art gallery that houses some of the best works of art in terms of sculptures, waterpainting and oil paintings and has the work of some of the finest craftsmen and artisans on display. Some of the original paintings of the great artist like Reynolds, Van Gough and Rembrandt are on display. Apart from this there are also other artifacts that are on display. Apart from housing the artifacts and genuine pieces of art the Marble Palace itself is one of the most exqusitive built building in terms of architecture. The place also houses and zoo with different kind of birds and at the same time also one section for exquisite and rare collection of birds and animals on display.

Howrah bridge- Referred to as the Rabindra Sethu, this is one of the busiest bridges in the world connecting that Kolkata and Howrah. This bridge too is an architectural marvel in the making and is one of the few bridges in the world to use the Cavalier tuss mode of construction that does not make use of nuts and bolts. This bridge was earlier used as a tram route. The Bridge that stands on two pillars of 270 feet height is one most distinshuing feature of the city of Kolkata and a indelible factor that cannot be overlooked while travelling or discussing about Kolkata.

Nicco Park- Located in the Salt lake second city of Kolkata this park is an amusement park for the residents of Kolkata. This amusement park spread over 40 acres of land was opened to the public in the year 1991 and is one of the largest amusement parks in the entire country. The park is known for its wonderful games and rides and is also to name few Flying Saucers, toy train, Cable car, tilt the turl, and water rides and games like water shooter water coaster, pirate ship and Moonraker for all those intending to have a time of fun and frolic. There are also other things that tourists can do like nature lovers have the opportunity of strolling past the beautiful nature gardens of park. The park also is known for a number of eateries that are situated in and around the park that serves up a variety of Indian, Bengali, south Indian and Chinese cuisine that are sure to be delight for the taste buds. The amusement park is also distinctive as it is one of the few amusement parks in the world to be certified by an international body for certification.

Eden Gardens- Eden Gardens in Kolkata is one place that cannot be possibly missed while travelling. This beautiful stadium is a part of the rich and the golden history of Indian cricket and is still used as an important international test, one day and T20 venue for cricket matches. This is also the home ground for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Till 2010,the Eden Garden Kolkata had a total capacity of 1,20,000 today however after revamping and modernization projects leading to the Cricket World Cup 2011, the capacity of the stadium stands at 90,000. One of the oldest playing grounds in the country despite the modernization and changes in the ground the feeling of playing at the Eden Gardens is one of the most wonderful. It is also an example of Kolkata zeal for the game of cricket after the Football that is considered one of the most favored and widely played sports.

Saheed Minar- Located near Esplanade of Kolkata Maidan, this one of the most unique places to visit in terms of places to see in Kolkata.  Established in 1848 as a memorial to the Nepalese war that lasted between the years of 1814 to 1816. This monument bears a distinctive Egyptian style of construction while the dome of the monument features Syrian and Turkish designs. During the independence period, this structure was witness to the struggle of independence that was fought and the great freedom fighter Tagore gave many of its speeches from the Saheed Minar. After independence the Minar was rededicated to the fighters of the freedom struggle who laid down their lives for the struggle of being an independent nation. From the Minar one can get an excellent view of the entire city of Kolkata. The Minar is visited by tourists and as well as residents who spend the early evening upto nightfall in the and around the premises. The Corporation has put in a lot of efforts to improve the facilities in and around the place for both tourists and residents alike.

Victoria Memorial- The magnificent Victoria memorial built in memory of Queen Victoria was inaugurated by the Prince of Wales. The majestic marble structure built on land 64 acres of land is complete with gardens, pools and space for walking. Located in the south of the Maidan, Victoria Memorial is a truly majestic monument that bears reminisce of the Victorian era and has an ambience that totally recalls of the era gone by. The Victoria memorial offer tourists and visitors a trip to the by just walking around the corridors and the inner palace that has photos and artifacts that pertain to the colonial rule of India. Today the Victoria Memorial serves as an art gallery and museum for those visiting.

St. Paul’s Cathedral- The first Episcopal Church in the city of Kolkata is an example of Indo Gothic style of Church architecture. Before its present state as we see today the church was ravaged by earthquakes and natural calamities and was in a bad shape. The present structure as seen today was built in 1938 and modeled after the Bell Harry Tower and with a strong resemblance to the Canterbury cathedral. The cathedral has also many artifacts and ,manuscripts that have been preserved in the archives.

Kaligat temple- This ancient temple dating back to the 350 finds mention in the ‘Ain-al- Akbari’ that is an official document of the great Mohgul emperor Akbar. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Kali who is revered for  Power and strength.

Missionaries of Charity and the Mother Teresa Center- Mother Teresa is also an important part of the city of Kolkata and as such is revered all over the state of Kolkata. She dedicated more than half her life and stay in Kolkata for the services of the downtrodden, neglected and the destitute. Her work continues today in her missionaries of Charity that are not only spread in Kolkata through many homes but also through the country. Tourists find peace and a graceful solace while visiting these homes for the destitute and the poor and suffering individuals of society, who are taken care and whose needs are fended in the best possible manner.