Kolkata Landmarks

 I am getting so excited for Kolkata that I thought I would post some famous sights of Kolkata. I did not take these pics, please see the next post for a few that I have taken.

 Howrah Bridge on the Hoogly is probably the most iconic landmark of Kolkata, it connects the main city to the Howrah Railway Station, which is the equivalent of Grand Central in NY. Like London has the bridge on the Thames, and New York has the Brooklyn Bridge, Howrah Bridge has captured the imagination of the city and its visitors, making it a much beloved lifeline of the city. It is usually crowded, full of traffic, and sometimes takes a good 40 minutes to get across the river, but it is always bursting with life. Ever since I was a little girl and we would get down at Howrah Station, I looked forward to crossing that bridge. To me its a symbol of beginnngs and journeys and it always features prominently in my memories. Lately, since we fly into Kolkata, I rarely cross the bridge anymore, but this year I am determined to cross it at least once and relive the excitement.

This beautiful photo is from a Flickr set by MarkEveleigh

Victoria Memorial in the heart of Kolkata. This is a building that was dedicated to Queen Victoria, when she was declared queen of India, during the British Raj. Victoria Memorial is set in the Maidan or a planned huge greenspace in the middle of the city. It is sort of like Central Park and many events and fairs take place here. Its also  a great place for a stroll or some quiet time.

Photo- Google Images

Vidyasagar Setu or the second Howrah bridge was built in the 90’s to provide some relief to the Howrah Bridge. It is a very beautiful, modern bridge and worth driving along on. But it doesn’t quite hold the same appeal for me.

Photo- google images

Writers Building is the main government seat of Kolkata. It is building that was originally constructed by the British in the 1700’s and has today become a symbol of Kolkata’s government. I love the bright red color of the building and the palm trees and statues around it.