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In memory of Queen Victoria and was formally inaugurated by the Prince of
Wales in 1921 who later became King Edward VIII of England. The
stately bronze statue of the queen near the entrance, the brass
canons, wrought iron street lamps, manicured lawns, gardens and
pathways, the magical lighting effect in the evening and a fairy tale
'Fountain of Joy' facing the memorial building create an atmosphere of
unforgettable charm.It is also a museum where people could see before
them pictures and statues of men who played a prominent part in the
history of India and develop a pride in their past especially in
relation to the history of Calcutta . Lord Curzon conceived it.
Presently it is the finest and most prominent building and art museum
of Calcutta, India, under the Department of Culture, Government of
India.
The Memorial consists of numerous hybrid
features: it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal
domes in its corners and tall elegant open colonnades along its sides.
The building was designed by Sir William Emerson and its construction
was completed in 1921. The main attraction at the memorial is the huge
somber statue of the Queen, which is flanked by two ornamental tanks.
Made of Makrana marble from Jodhpur, the Memorial is capped by a dome
bearing a revolving bronze figurine symbolizing victory.
There are 25 galleries in a chamber beneath the dome. These
house several mementos of British Imperialism - statues and busts of
Queen Mary, George V and Queen Victoria; paintings of Robert Clive and
the Queen, French Guns captured at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and a
black marble throne of a Nawab defeated by Clive.
Two regular sound and
light shows are held in the evening. Closed on Mondays
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