Kolkata is a heritage city and that is extremely evident from the different historical structures you can see here. The lanes and the bylanes of Kolkata, houses many structures that would take you back to the Victorian Era. These buildings and structures are evidence to the rich past that the city has been through. The palaces, monuments and buildings which are vintage and old, speaks for its grandeur. One such structure is the Marble Palace Kolkata.
This mansion is an example of artistic architecture. The vintage property stands tall with its alluring charm and you would be transported to a different world by simply a glimpse of it. So if you ever visit Kolkata or if you stay in the city this should be a must visit in your itinerary. In this article I will mention all the necessary information about this heritage building in Kolkata. All the information would be extremely helpful in planning your visit to this palace. So keep on reading.
Marble Palace Kolkata
Location:
46, opposite Ram Mandir, Muktaram Babu Street, Jorasanko, Kolkata, West Bengal
How to reach Marble Palace Kolkata:
Kolkata is well connected by buses so you can take a bus to reach there. The most convenient option would be Metro. Girish Park Metro station is the closest. From there the Palace is only a 5 minutes’ walk. You can also take yellow taxis or cabs like Ola or Uber to reach there.
Timings:
Marble Palace Kolkata timings are 10 am to 4 pm. Monday and Thursday are closed days.
Marble Palace Kolkata Ticket Price:
No entry fee
About Marble Palace Kolkata
In the small lane of the Muktaram Babu Street you will find the Marble Palace. This is the residence of Raja Rajendra Mullick. Even today the descendents of Rajendra Mullick stay at this place. It is a private mansion and is one of the heritage and preserved buildings in Kolkata. You can spot the Neoclassical style of architecture of this palace from the view. Surrounded by beautiful green lawns and fountains the place looks picturesque in its appearance.
History of Marble Palace:
In 1835 Raja Rajendra Mullick built this stunning palace. He was an influential rich Bengali merchant in the 19th century. Apart from being a merchant he was inclined towards collecting artworks from different parts of the world. Raja Rajendra Mullick was the adopted son of Sri Nilmoni Mullick. Nilmoni Mullick had built a Jagannath temple inside the palace and till today it is in great form. However the temple is only accessible to the members of the family and is not open to viewing for the visitors.
Architecture of Marble Palace Kolkata
This Marble Palace Mansion is built following the neo classical style of architecture with evident Bengali touch to it. From different parts of the world Italian marbles were collected to build this palace. A total of more than 126 varieties of marbles were used to build the structure. You can also notice a little bit of Chinese style of architecture in the formation of the palace. There are 5 halls in the palace namely Painting Room, Reception Hall, Sculpture Room, Thakur Dalan and Billiards Room. The verandahs or balconies are even more beautiful and look spectacular with its Chinese influenced architecture.
One of the most beautiful portions of the palace is the Thakur Dalan. It is the traditional place of worship for the Bengalis. You can notice columns built in neo classical styles here. The main structure of the palace has columns all around it and the adjacent way leads to the Thakur Dalan. You can observe intricate carvings on the pillars here. The marble floor and marble pillars look exquisite and intriguing. Victorian furniture, massive chandeliers and sculptures adorn the whole palace which is a beautiful sight.
Artwork collection
The creator of the Marble Palace Kolkata was inclined towards various artworks from around the world. Till today you can observe those artworks in the palace itself. The mansion museum is the main area where the artifacts are exhibited. Apart from the Victorian furniture and Belgian glassware you can find many sculptures and original artworks here. The most prominent ones are original work by Reynolds and Rubens and Murillo. Also there are sculptures of Homer, Apollo, Diana, Mosses and more.
In total there are a collection of 76 artworks here. Most of them are from the year 1830. Over a period of 180 years these artworks were bought from Belgium and Italy. The music room here is another point of attraction. With statues of Wellington and Napoleon the room looks lavish in its appearance. There is a ballroom that still has the vintage 19th century disco ball that reflects from the lights of the chandeliers.
what’s more ?
Furthermore the walls are adorned with Belgian Glass mirrors that still look beautiful. Also you can see a two cornered biocome here which is believed that Napoleon Bonaparte wore once upon a time during his military expeditions. Apart from western artifacts you can see some artifacts from Britain and Italy as well. Even though it is believed that most of them are original, there are also some doubts regarding that as well. Some people are of the opinion that some of the artifacts found here are the best replicas of the original ones.
Moving on, there is a painting room that houses some of the notable paintings from the notable artists. The collection includes artworks by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Jan Van Goyen, Raja Ravi Verma, Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassofferrato, Rubens and more. Additionally, there is a sprawling lawn that increases the beauty of this beautiful palace. With a fountain placed at the centre of the lawn you can see a statue of Leda and The Swan here. Also there are many more statues that you can spot here. Most of the statues are of different Gods and Goddesses from different religions.
Things to remember before visiting Marble Palace Kolkata
You cannot just enter the mansion. To enter you would need a prior permit from the West Bengal Tourism Information Bureau located at BBD Bag Kolkata. Only then you can get access inside the palace.
The Jorasanko Thakur Bari is just within 5 minutes from the Marble Palace, so you can club your visit with that.
Marble Palace Mansion is a private property therefore photography inside the premises is strictly prohibited.
If you actually want to enjoy the charm of the old city Kolkata, visiting the vintage buildings and structures is probably the best way possible. This colossal structure is one of the buildings you can find in Kolkata that is still surviving today. The beautiful architectural details and the extravagant life that the people from that generation had lived is visible a little too well from this structure. A mansion like this will take you back to the old times.
Furthermore if you are a history buff then this is going to be extra intriguing for you. Get soaked into the beauty of old world charm with a visit to the Marble Palace Kolkata. Do let me know if you had an idea of this vintage building already or you got to know about it from this article. I would love to know that.
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