Victoria Memorial Hall Monument For Queen Victoria
Victoria Memorial Hall:
Victoria Memorial Hall is situated in Kolkatta. Queen Victoria ruled India after the sepoy Mutiny of 1857 AD till her death in 1901. Before the sepoy mutiny, the people of India suffered under the East India Company rule. When Queen Victoria started ruling India, She brought administrative reforms in favour of India.
Victoria Memorial Hall, Lord Curzon Contribution:
The Present Victoria Mahal was built in memory of Queen Victoria by then-Indian Viceroy Lord Curzon. After Queen Victoria died, Lord Curzon wanted to make a monument to pay his gratitude towards her. So he asked for funds from the people of India and Princely states in India to build the queen’s imperial Memorial. As a result, he raised a sum of 5 Lakhs rupees in those days. He chose Sir William Emerson, the President of the British Institute of Architects, for the project. Finally, on 4 January 1906, the Prince of Wales and King George V laid the foundation stone for the construction. Messrs Martin &Co company completed the construction of Victoria Memorial, which finally opened to visitors in 1921.
Victoria Memorial Hall Architect:
The design of the Victoria Memorial is beautiful and complicated to construct. Sir Wiliam Emerson worked very hard to give the final design of the Memorial. Almost he gave the Indo-Saracenic style of construction. The Mughal, British, Deccan, Egyptian and Islamic techniques were used in the Architecture. The dome on the top of the building has highly complex construction. Because this is an octagonal Shape. David Prain and Lord Redesdale designed the lush green garden in front of the Memorial. The park and monument are spread over almost 64 acres. Almost the building covers 338 feet in length and 69 meters in width. The height of the palace is approximately 56 meters. Vincent J.Esew designed the entrance gate and Cozy bridge.
Gallery and Museum in Victoria Memorial Hall:
The palace also contained a unique museum and a Royal Gallery. We can see some artefacts, Paintings, and memorials of Queen Victoria in the Museum. Almost the Gallery is filled with oil paintings and monuments of Queen Victoria in the Museum. The Marriage painting of her with Prince Alber in 1840 AD is kept here. The famous Paintings of Charles Doyle, William Hadges, Tilly Kettle, Thomas Hickey and William Simpson were also held in the Gallery. The Dagger of Tipu Sultan, the Cannon used in the Battle of Plassey, and a manuscript of Ain-i-Akbari by Abul Fazal is the unique attractions.