Kolkata

Victoria Memorial was built in Kolkata to commemorate the Empress of India and Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria after her death in 1901, located at Queen's Way. The Victoria Memorial was modelled on the Taj Mahal and was commissioned in 1906 by Lord Curzon. Opened to the public in 1921, it was designed by the architects William Emerson and his protégé Vincent Esch at the extraordinary cost of 10.5 million rupees ($262,500), all of which was collected as voluntary donations, mostly from British and Indian nobility. The memorial holds paintings of the British royal family, miniature paintings of the Mughal School, oil paintings of the Company School (notably the uncle - nephew pair of Thomas Daniell and William Daniell), historical artefacts like the throne of the Nawab of Bengal, many lithographs and documents of historical interest, and various post-Raj artefacts significant in the history of Kolkata (added to the collection after independence). The memorial is set in extensive and beautiful lawns and is lit up at night. A laser audio-visual show is held on the lawns every evening. 'Nike', the Greek Goddess of victory, on the top of the museum is said to be haunted and has been prominently featured in many Kolkata stories and novels. It is regarded with pride in Kolkata and colloquially referred to as the "Victoria".

The Indian Museum is the largest museum in Asia and the oldest in the Asia - Pacific region (est. 1814 at the location of the Asiatic Society). The Museum shifted to its present residence in 1875. Situated on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, it houses a collection of Indian natural history and an Indian Art collection to rival the Smithsonian Institution and the British Museum. Of specific note are the meteorite hall and dinosaur hall in the Natural History and Geology section, the numismatics section and the collections of Gandhara Art, Burmese woodwork, Mughal miniatures and Tibetan banner sections in the Indian Art section. The Anthropological Survey of India headquarters and the Government College of Art and Craft are housed in the same building. The Geological Survey of India headquarters moved from the museum to Bidhan Nagar recently. The Indian Museum has a library of excellent historical value, with a special focus on the Raj and Kolkata.

The Marble Palace is a privately owned collection of eclectic sculptures, paintings and a small menagerie and aviary off Chittaranjan Avenue in North Kolkata. Built by Raja Rajendra Mullick in 1835, it houses two little-publicized Reubens and a Joshua Reynolds, not to mention over 50 varieties of marble which grace the interiors of this mansion. Since COVID-19 in India, this palace is strictly prohibited for outsiders and tourists.

Birla Planetarium in Kolkata runs many shows on educational and entertainment purposes about astronomy, astrophysics, space science, history of astronomy and mythology regarding stars and planets. It is situated on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road near several notable places like Indian Museum, Victoria Memorial, Maidan, and St. Paul's Cathedral. It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, on July 2, 1963. Projection on spherical ceiling accompanied by live audio (Bengali, English, and Hindi) is the major attraction of the Birla Planetarium. It also has an electronics laboratory, astronomy gallery, and an astronomical observatory equipped with a Celestron C-14 Telescope.

Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Commissioned in 1943, the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata. On 14 June 1965, it was renamed Rabindra Setu after the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. The bridge is one of the busiest cantilever bridges in the world. It is a symbol of Kolkata and an iconic landmark.

Maidan means "field" in Hindi, Marathi, Urdu and Bengali. The Kolkata Maidan was once a vast uninterrupted field right down to the edge of the Hoogli River, but is now being encroached upon by the city and is fragmented by roads. The Maidan has nurtured sports like Polo and has been the home of equestrianism, horse racing, football, cricket and rugby in Kolkata. It houses numerous clubs including the "big three" of Indian football - Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, East Bengal Football Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club along with their respective home stadiums. The arterial Jawaharlal Nehru Road, the Eden Gardens, the Millennium Park and the associated 3 km long Riverfront beautification project border the Maidan. The Maidan abounds with monuments and statues, the most famous of them being Shaheed Minar and the statue of ace footballer Gostho Pal. Elliot Park, Mohor Kunja and Victoria Memorial complex are three parks which are situated in the Maidan area.

Rabindra Sarobar or "The Lake" or 'Dhakuria Lake' is an artificial lake and urban park in the spirit of Central Park, New York City. The park has a lake and an island with a footbridge, an open-air amphitheatre (Nazrul Mancha), a sports stadium (Rabindra Sarobar Stadium), a children's park and the rowing clubs of Calcutta Rowing Club, Bengal Rowing Club and Lake Club.

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu navaratna temple located in Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, a form of Parashakti Adya Kali, otherwise known as Adishakti Kalika. The temple was built in 1855 by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali. The temple complex is spread over 25 acres and is one of the largest temple complexes in Kolkata. It is a popular pilgrimage spot for devotees from all over the world.

St. Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, noted for its Gothic Revival architecture. It is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta. The cornerstone was laid in 1839; it was completed in 1847. It is said to be the first cathedral built in the overseas territory of the British Empire. The cathedral complex is large and has a library, a chapter house, and a bell tower. It is a popular tourist attraction and a place of worship for Christians in Kolkata.

Writers' Building is the secretariat building of the State Government of West Bengal in India. The Writers' Building originally served as the office for writers of the British East India Company, hence the name. Designed by Thomas Lyon in 1777 the Writers' building has gone through several extensions over the years. In 1821 a 128 ft-long verandah with ionic style columns, each 32 ft high, were added on the first and second floors. From 1889 to 1906 two new blocks were added. It acquired its Greco-Roman look, complete with the portico in the central bay and the red surface of the exposed brick. The parapet was put in place and the statues sculpted by William Fredric Woodington in 1883, that line the terrace, were installed. The giant pediment at the centre is crowned with the statue of Minerva. The terrace also contains several other statues and notable among them are four clusters of statues, christened 'Justice', 'Commerce', 'Science' and 'Agriculture', with the Greek Gods and Goddesses of these four streams (Zeus, Hermes, Athena and Demeter respectively) flanked by a European and an Indian practitioner of these vocations, adorn the building.