Victoria Memorial is being considered one of the most famous monuments in India located at West Bengal the city of joy Kolkata. This memorial has become a museum and a popular tourist spot nowadays. It was built between 1906 and 1921.
The Victoria Memorial Hall was built in memory of Queen Victoria by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon the memorial celebrated the 25-year reign of the queen over India. She became the figurehead of India after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and ruled till her death in 1901.
Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata
It is a must-visit tourist destination for first-time visitors to experience the essence of the Victorian era in the metro city of Kolkata. Queen Victoria who remained Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland since June 20, 1837. Following her demise, Lord Curzon conceived the idea of constructing a colossal and grand building with a museum and gardens where one and all can have a glimpse of the rich past.
In 1921, the memorial was opened to the public however it became part of a provincial city instead of the capital city as by the time its construction completed, the capital of India was transferred from Calcutta to New Delhi under the instruction of King George V. The total cost of building the memorial came to Rs. 105, 00,00.
There are 25 galleries inside the memorial including the royal gallery, the sculpture gallery and the Calcutta gallery among others. Several portraits of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and oil paintings portraying different moments of their lives are displayed in the royal gallery.
It is a house of remarkable collections of paintings, artifacts, weapons, textiles, coins, and stamps among others and maintains few possessions of the Queen like her writing desk and chair and scrapbooks. A rare collection of books is preserved here like the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam and masterpieces of William Shakespeare.
If you ever plan to visit Kolkata just don’t forget to visit Victoria’s Memorial you will be stunned by its beauty.
