Kolkata is a Major City in the Eastern Part of India. It is the State Capital of West Bengal. During British Rule in India, Kolkata was capital of the country until 1911, when it was later shifted to Delhi. Kolkata was earlier known as Calcutta, when the name got changed in 2001 due to political reasons. The city is associated with many of the figures and movements of the Bengali Cultural Revolution. It was Hotbed of the Indian Independence Movement.
Kolkata is home to institutions of national importance, like Academy of Fine Arts, Asiatic Society, Geological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India. Kolkata's port is India's oldest operating port. Four Nobel laureates are associated with this city. Kolkata is popularly known as the "City of Joy".
There are many places worth sightseeing in Kolkata. One could start with Victoria Memorial, a large marble monument in central part of Kolkata. It was built between 1906 and 1921 by the British. It was built in honor of Queen Victoria, who was Empress of India from 1876 to 1901. It covers an area of 26 Hectares (64 Acres) of gardens. It is now a museum under administration by the Indian Government. Victoria Memorial is built of white Makrana marble. It has 25 galleries, containing paintings of various British officers and members of their royal family as well as prominent Indian freedom fighters.
Howrah Bridge is a notable architectural wonder spanning across the Hooghly river in the city. The Bridge connects Kolkata to Howrah. It was completed and opened in 1943. It is a suspension type bridge made entirely of Steel. Total length of the Bridge is 705 Metres and its width is nearly 26 Metres. The Bridge is 82 Metres high from the river flowing below. The road built through the bridge has total 6 Lanes. Nearly 1 Lakh vehicles and about 1.5 Lakh pedestrians commute throught this bridge on a daily basis.
Science City is a science park in Kolkata. It was established in 1997. It is a vast premise that offers visitors to understand various topics related to science in a simple language without much of technical jargon. It has blocks related to Outer Space like Earth Exploration Hall and Space Odyssey. Besides that, there are other areas worth visiting like Maritime Centre and Science Exploration Hall.
Kolkata has several Hindu temples that are popular across India. One of them is Dakshineswar Kali Temple, dedicated to Maa Kali, a Hindu goddess. It was built in 1855. Within the temple premises, there are mini-temples of Shiva, Radha-Krishna and Kirtana.
