Kolkata Town Hall

Kolkata Town Hall is a white Doric-style building on Esplanade Row near BBD Bagh. It was begun in 1807 to designs by the British architect Colonel John Garston, took about seven years to finish and cost some Rs 7 lakh. The British built it as a venue for their social events and entertainments.

Its role changed over the following century and a half. Calcutta Municipality took charge of the building in 1867 and repaired it, after which it hosted civic meetings, exhibitions and public functions; during the Second World War it was used as a rationing office. Years of neglect later left it at risk of demolition, until a public campaign raised money and the hall was restored.

A museum on the city's history, with interactive and virtual-reality displays, opened here in 2002, and an adjoining library holds manuscripts, records and scholarly books. The state government still uses the hall for lectures and seminars. Its portico, high ceilings and columned rooms are the main architectural draw.