বাংলায় পড়ুন
Kolkata or Calcutta as it was called previously was the British capital for years and the British influence reflects in the colonial buildings of this city. Among those many buildings, we are going to tell you about the Marble Palace situated in North Kolkata. North Kolkata is known for still holding on to the old-world charm of Kolkata.
The Marble Palace was built in 1835 by a French architect for Raja Rajendra Mullick. For Rajendra Mullick, the palace was not proof of his wealth or status but to create a place where art lovers can satisfy their art craving soul. It has 76 rare artifacts brought from Italy and Belgium in 1830. The palace was built to preserve works of art especially collection of Western Sculpture and Victorian Furniture. The artifacts in this palace are over 180-years-old.
The elegant mansion is a great example of European architecture. The three-storeyed building has 90 varieties of patterned marble on the floors of the mansion. It is built in neoclassical style. The Marble Palace is built Neoclassical style but it has a Chinese influence also. The ornamented balconies, sloping roofs, and fretworks reflect the Chinese touch. But amidst all this foreign styled infrastructure the roots are not neglected, the palace has the traditional Bengali style of architecture in the form of open courtyards and a Thakur Dalan near it.
The Marble Palace has a zoo which is acknowledged as the first private zoo opened in India. It is now open to visitors. Among the famous paintings that are showcased here; “The Mystic Marriage St. Catherine” by Rubens, “The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian”, “Marine View” by Dutch painter Jan Van Goyen are few to name.
Nearest Metro stations are Girish Park or Mahatma Gandhi Road. Located at Muktaram Babu Street, entry to Marble Palace is free but permission has to be granted from the West Bengal State Tourism Department. Closed on Monday and Thursday.
