St Paul's Cathedral

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Sight Address : 1A, Cathedral Rd, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071 Edit

Detail InformationEdit

St Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata is one of the most important religious places of Kolkata. The church took a much longer time to be completed. After about 8 years of construction the building was finally finished in 1847. The building architecture of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata was magnificently designed by Major William Nairn Forbes. He took the assistance of another architect named CK Robinson. The architecture is unique in its style. People who come all across the globe and have a glance of the church get astonished at its beauty. The tower and spire of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata are mostly the results of the inspiration that the architects got from the Norwich Cathedral. Unfortunately there was a massive earthquake in 1934. The calamity affected the then Kolkata very mercilessly. St. Paul’s Cathedral of Kolkata was no exception to the others. It could not resist the tremor and its tower got crashed. However, the tower could be rebuilt following the lines of Bell Harry at Canterbury. St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata is very well maintained. The premise is a serene and peaceful one. The Cathedral has no prejudice regarding religion or caste and is meant for people of all religious belief. Service is held here in regular basis. The Church takes a festive look during the Christmas. People in Kolkata gather here in large numbers to experience the joy and happiness. The field surrounding the cathedral is also a beauty. Its southern part has one-story building, which is often used for marriage ceremonies. This is undoubtedly a way of collecting funds for the maintenance of the premises.

St Paul’s Cathedral

HistoryEdit

When first built in 1847 by Bishop Wilson, this was the first Episcopal Cathedral Church in the eastern world. The Indo-Gothic style structure was severely damaged in earthquakes and was redesigned and rebuilt in 1938 replicating Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral. The cathedral has many rare paintings and antique books. The interior is decorated with mosaic panels, stained glass windows, beautifully carved wooden pews, intricate artwork on walls and two marvelous Florentine frescoes. The church is 201 feet high.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

9.00 A.M. To12.00 PM and 3.00 P.M. to 6.00 P.M

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

Best season to visit Kolkata is October-march . This is the perfect time to savor the autumn season that is in its full bloom. Not only the weather is pleasant, but also, it is the time of festivities.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning , Afternoon , Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

Minimum 30 minutes.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A.

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Kenilworth Hotel – Kolkata ; 1 & 2, Little Russel Street, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071 ; Ph/M – 033 2282 3939 ; Food Serve – breakfast, lunch, and dinner

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : “After landing in Kolkata cabs would be the easiest choice to reach the sight in the city from the airport or the railway station. The meters in Kolkata are not standardized so remember to ask for the conversion chart that would indicate the exact payable amount for the number indicated by the meter. The cab fares should ideally be around Rs 15 for the first two kilometers and around Rs 3 for two hundred meters from thereon. Kolkata Cabs is the leading Cab Service and you can book yourself a cab by calling them on 03344333222.
For a night out, cabs are the safest option if you have missed the last metro train or the last bus. The nighttime cab fares are more expensive than daytime fares, but it is a small price to pay for the safety it provides.”

BUS : Kolkata has a broad network of government and private buses. The Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC), Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) and West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (WBSTC) run regulars bus service in the city. The city’s biggest bus station is Esplanade with many city buses, state-wide CSBC services and routes towards Sikkim. For buses towards Odisha (Orissa) use Babughat near Eden Gardens.
There are also mini buses. The fares range from Rs 10 to 15. Buses are an ideal choice if you plan on travelling a long distance or going to the suburbs or to those places that are not in the vicinity of the Metro stations. Most long distance bus services offer comforts like push back or sleeper seats, video coaches and air conditioning. Local travel tours are arranged by tour operators and luxury buses are offered as part of this service.

Train : The local train service across various city points is another option. The local train network is spread across different points in the city. A total distance of around hundred kilometers is covered by these local trains. Most fares cost less than Rs 10. Cheaper than the metro, it is a good option if you are the kind of a person who likes exploring different options when in a new city.
Howrah and Sealdah are two major railway stations in Kolkata. These stations are well connected to all major cities in India. Metro rail system in Kolkata connects all the main junctions in Kolkata. It is the fastest way to reach the different parts of the big city. Trains from other parts of the country are easily available for Kolkata. Super-fast trains such as Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express connect the city to major cities and states in India. The Kolkata Circular Rail encircles the entire city and currently its route is being extended.
Howrah Station Phone: (033)26382581, (033) 26383542.
After getting down at the railway station, take an auto-rickshaw, bus or hire a taxi to reach the destination within the city.

Air : Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, located at Dumdum, is 17 km away from the heart of Kolkata. This airport is well connected to all major cities in India including north east capitals. Kolkata is a major international airport which is connected to many cities in abroad. Airport to the city center costs about Rs 400 by Tourist taxi car. Most of the domestic airlines have direct services to and from Kolkata to other important cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow, etc. Kolkata also provides international flights to most of the countries in Southeast Asia.
Air India : 22114433; China Eastern Airlines: 40448887 , Druk Air: 22902429, Biman :22266672, GMG:30283030; United Airways Bangladesh :9007095363.

Others : Rickshaws : Rickshaws is also available in kolkata .Rickshaws are of three kinds. The usual three wheeled motor one, one which is pedaled by the rickshaw driver and a third one which is a two-wheeled cart pulled by a rickshaw puller. The motorized three wheeled rickshaws are not like the rickshaws found in other parts of India. They ply on a fixed route and the fare is fixed. So these rickshaws are more like smaller forms of public transport. The two wheeled carts are an experience by themselves. Being taken across the town by the sheer physical strength and manual effort of the rickshaw driver is an experience only Kolkata can offer. Many consider it barbaric and it has been prohibited in most parts of the city. These rickshaws charge from anywhere between Rs 10 – 20 per km.
Tram: Kolkata has a local tram facility. Slow moving coaches on tracks that have been laid in the middle of the road. There are 37 different tram routes in Kolkata. Most places of interest from a tourist’s point of view can be accessed by using Kolkata’s tram service. The green traveler would probably like to use the tram service to move about as trams are an eco friendly option. At any rate trams are a unique way to experience the old world charm that Kolkata has to offer.