Town Hall - tourmet

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Sight Address : Town Hall , 4 , Esplanade Row (West), Kolkata – 700001. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Every city has a central location which is a mute spectator to its growth and prosperity. The Town Hall of Kolkata has been a vibrant participant in all major activities of the city since last two centuries. Constructed in 1813 using wood and bricks, the Town Hall stands in the illustrious company of the Assembly House. The 25 feet high ground floor has an intricate network of numerous small rooms and a central marble hall. Town Hall displays Palladian Neo-classical Doric style architecture and has been used as the Town Court House as well as the office of Public Services Commission. Numerous community meetings and social gatherings have been organized in front of the town hall of Kolkata.

Town Hall-kolkata

HistoryEdit

The construction began on 1st December 1807 and completed in the year 1814. It was designed by Garstin. The cost of the construction was raised through a public lottery. Almost from the second world war period the building was not properly maintained and it was neglected during the post independence period. Proposals were initiated to demolish the building. 50th and 70th birth anniversary of Rabindra Nath Tagore were organized at Town Hall in the presence of the poet. During 1980s demand for restoration of the building was raised by some eminent citizens. The restoration work began in early 1990s. A museum on the history of city, Kolkata Museum, is now occupying the ground floor of the building. An Art Gallery is going to be opened in one of the basement floors. the first floor hall hall is being used for cultural functions, seminars, exhibitions, lectures. Even National and Asian Chess championships are held here. Nobel Laureates Tagore, Amartya Sen,Gordimer and many other delivered lectures here. Jagadish Chandra Bose shown his famous experiment on wireless communication at Town Hall before public in 1898. Today Town Hall is once again becoming a vibrant central hall of the city.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction

Visiting TimeEdit

N.A.

Closed OnEdit

Monday

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

1-2 hrs.

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

Hakka Village Chinese Restaurant – Kolkata ; 104-H, Tangra,Kolkata, West Bengal 700046 ; Ph/M – 033 23291452 ; Food Serve – Chinese Restaurant

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.