Victoria Memorial Hall

Location: 1, Queen's Way, Kolkata 700071





Gardens: 21 manicured gardens surround the monumental building. Fountains with light and sound show are a major attraction. 6 galleries display artefacts around the year.

At the Entrance
Foundations:  The hall was envisaged by Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of British India, as a memorial to the deceased Queen Victoria. Hence, according to Curzon "this memorial should take form of a great marble hall, which was to be erected on the Calcutta maidan to serve primarily as a monument to the Queen and secondarily as a national gallery and Valhalla of the Indian Empire". The national gallery which Curzon speaks about would in future take the shape of a museum. The Victoria Memorial hall was therefore set up to function more than just a memorial for the deceased Queen Victoria. The memorial was to be designed with a museum housed within its realms. The  memorial with the museum would act as  a “standing record of our wonderful history” This was to be a historical museum where people could see before them pictures and statues of men who played a prominent part in the history of this country and develop a pride in their past. Curzon’s writing bring forth that it was a part of his imperial duty to put into execution to set up a “Great Imperial memorial worthy of Queen Victoria and worthy of India. Within few weeks after Queen’ death in January 1901 a great meeting was convened in the Town Hall of Calcutta on 6th February, 1901, whereby a resolution for constituting an all Indian Memorial Fund for building of the memorial was moved. The princes and people of India responded Architects generously to his appeal for funds and the total cost of construction of this monument amounting to one crore, five lakhs of rupees, was entirely derived from their voluntary subscriptions. King George V, the then Prince of Wales, laid the foundation stone on January 4, 1906 and it was formally opened to the public in 1921.

Architecture: Curzon from the very beginning had laid out in impeccable details about how he envisaged the Memorial for the Queen. The emphasis was placed on symbolism. The Victoria Memorial Hall was conceived to be not only a monument in memory of the deceased queen. Curzon wanted to project the building as ‘a standing record of our wonderful history.’ What Curzon had desired was that the building should serve as an impressive example of colonial presence. Hence Curzon entrusted architect William Emerson who already had to his glory the famous architectural buildings like the Crawford market in Bombay and All Saints Cathedral in Allahabad. Curzon had an affinity towards classical style and he insisted Emerson to submit designs in the Italian renaissance style. As an assistance to Emerson, Vincent Esch was appointed in 1902 and he was encouraged to sketch an original design for Victoria Memorial Hall. The construction of the memorial began in 1910 and by this time Esch was promoted as the project’s Superintending Architect.What is noteworthy is that even though Curzon had employed British architects to build the memorial, it necessarily reflected not only a classical style but also a reflection of Curzon’s favourite monument the Taj Mahal. The Victoria Memorial Hall today stands as the most grand monument which has been erected across various countries in memory of the Queen. 
Governing body: The Memorial is under the 'administrative control' of the Ministry of Culture, Department of Culture, Government of India. Victoria Memorial is an autonomous organisation and is governed by the Board of Trustees with H.E. the Governor of West Bengal as the Chairperson.
Previous collections and Exhibits: Indian paintings, Western paintings, Rare photographs, Manuscripts, Coins, Lithographs, Arms and Armory, Sketches, Textiles, Virtual exhibitions

Reference:https://www.victoriamemorial-cal.org/

Current Collections and Exhibits: Presently the displays relate to the Indian struggle for independance. At the entrance hall one finds detailed documentations and items associated with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The other halls at the ground floor and first floor are dedicated to the lives and works of Indian freedom fighters.







Date of visit: 04.06.2022


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