The
visit to Gateway of India, Municipal Market, Municipal Corporation office, and
Town Hall, the world Heritage sites of Mumbai, was part of “Rock Cut Cave
Temples of Maharashtra Visit”, from 28th Feb February to 3rd March 2026. Mumbai’s World Heritage List includes 1248 properties forming part of the
cultural and natural heritage, which the World Heritage Committee considers as
having outstanding universal value.
GATEWAY
OF INDIA
Built
in 1924, George Wittet had prepared a drawing of the Gateway of India, which was
built in memory of the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in
1911. A foundation stone was laid by the then Governor of Bombay, Sir George
Sydenham, on 31.03.1911. The drawing of the Gateway of India, prepared by George
Wittet, was approved on 31.3.1913.
A piece of land at Apollo Bund was reclaimed during 1915-1919, and in 1920, the foundation work was completed. Construction of the Gateway of India, after the Hindu and
Muslim architectural style, was completed in 1924 in yellow basalt and on
4.12.1924 it was opened to the public. The
perforated screens were brought from Gwalior. The dome of the structure is 15 m
wide and 25.15 m tall.
The
last British troops to leave India following the country's independence, the
First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, passed through the gateway on
their way out in a ceremony on 28 February 1948, signalling the end of British
rule
LOCATION
OF THE GATEWAY OF INDIA: CLICK HERE
THE
ARTHUR CRAWFORD MUNICIPAL MARKET
ERECTED
1868 ON THE INITIATIVE OF ARTHUR TRAVERS CRAWFORD C.M.G. I.C.S. MUNICIPAL
COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF BOMBAY
1865
ΤΟ 1871
LOCATION
OF THE CRAWFORD MARKET: CLICK HERE
Municipal
Corporation of Greater Mumbai Head Office, Mumbai.
When
the construction of this building began, as per plan, Frederick William Stevens, a reputed architect, designed the project plan and the design of the building,
while the construction was completed under the supervision of Raosaheb Sitaram
Khanderao. The building was erected on a space granted by the reigning
government's civil construction department and was about 6600.65 square metres
in size. The cost of construction was about Rs. 11,19,969/-. Construction began
on 25th April 1889 and was completed on 31st July 1893.
The
building was designed in the Gothic style and is an exemplary display of the
harmonious combination of Western and Eastern design.
The triangular intersection created by Horneby Road and Crookshank Road (means
today's D.N. Road & Mahapalika Marg) is the address of the building. The
building is characterised by its 235-feet-tall front tower and has the Mayor,
Municipal Commissioner, Officers & Committee offices. It also boasts of a
conference hall about 68 feet long, 32 feet wide and 38 feet high. Today, 227
members of the Corporation sit in this hall. On the north face of the hall, you
will see a huge window made of artistically designed glass bordered by throne-style carved stone corners. The door on the south face opens into a corridor
for the members. This corridor leads to the south-facing terrace of the
building via glass doors. The hall icon holds two audience galleries and 3 glass
chandeliers, each having 13 electric bulbs, which remind us of the prestigious
past. There are 13 statues of eminent personnel in the hall.
More
than a century-old structure, it portrays an attractive combination of Western and
Eastern culture. The committee that designed this mind-welming structure are
really worthy of applause. Because of their foresight, this
building, standing strong today even after 121 years, houses the work for
providing the 1.2 crore citizens of Mumbai city with all necessary and high-standard
civic facilities. Contractor Vyanku Balaji deserves a special mention, who
completed this project with complete honesty and well below the estimated costs.
LOCATION
OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING: CLICK HERE
Town
Hall (Asiatic Library), Mumbai.
The
construction of the Town Hall (Asiatic Library) began in 1821 and was completed by
1833. It is among the oldest monumental structures of Mumbai. With an imposing
façade of pedimented porticos surmounting a row of Doric columns, this Hellenic
Neo-Classicism is representative of the early phase of British colonialism. In
an attempt to impress upon the local populace, with the might and grandeur of
European architecture, Mumbai was
bestowed with a Town Hall. It is designed by Col. Cooper of the Bombay
Engineers, who was assisted by Captain Charles Waddington.
The
structure was built at 60,000 pounds, largely met by the East India
Company and sited at the Bombay Green, in the vicinity of Bombay Castle. The
total length of the building stretched to 200 feet, with a Doric portico and a
central pedimented entabulature. The Town Hall has always been the fountainhead
of Mumbai's cultural thought. In the north portion of the Town Hall, we can see
sculptures made by renowned architects. The aesthetic beauty of the statues increases
as the sun's rays shine directly on the statues through the top gallery. We can also
see an equatorial statue of historical warrior John Malcolm by Sir Francis Chantry
and a statue of Mumbai's generous donor and an educationalist, Sir Jagannath
Shankarsheth, made by Mathew Nobel, in the centre of the curvaceous (curved)
staircases.
The
Town Hall has played a significant role in the social, cultural and educational
development of the city. It had also housed the Mumbai
University offices before the Mumbai University complex was constructed.
James
Mackintosh founded the 'Literary 'Society of Bombay in 1804.
1804. Later, it was renamed as the (Royal) Asiatic Society of Bombay in 1829.
The library boasts a vast collection of rare books, manuscripts and
historical records, as well as a priceless collection of statues and oil portraits.
LOCATION
OF THE TOWN HALL: CLICK HERE
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OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
