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 The city of Kolkata was founded in 1686 by the British East India Company. They acquired the villages of Kalikata, Govindpur and Sutanati and set up a fort which they used as their trading center. This fort, Fort William is still a part of the metropolis of Kolkatta.
Known as Calcutta the city became the capital of British India till 1911, after which Delhi became the new center of imperial British Rule.
Calcutta was renamed Kolkata recently as a reassertion of Bengali culture. As a center of many cultural, educational and religious movements Kolkata is a vibrant and ever changing city, which at the same time retains its own unique charm. The most important city in Eastern India Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is an important port in Eastern India and a city that has been portrayed in numerous works of literature and film.
Kolkata has the unique distinction of being associated with many of India's Nobel Laureates. The writer and artist Rabindranath Tagore, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity Mother Teresa and the economist Amartya Sen. Kolkata is also famous for its association with Satyajit Ray, who was awarded an Oscar award for lifetime achievement for his excellence in film making.
The cultural heritage of Kolkata includes some landmark monuments and colonial architecture. Kolkata is near Shantiniketan, where Rabindranath Tagore established an international university.
Some of the tourist attractions of Kolkata are:
Victoria Memorial: This magnificent monument is a landmark building in Kolkata, which is a museum of colonial artifacts open to the public, who can learn about the history of Kolkata on a tour of this building.
Howrah Bridge: This landmark in Kolkata is known for its distinctive appearance is a remarkable engineering feat of the early 20th century. The Howrah Bridge over the River Hooghly is one of the busiest bridges in the world.
Fort William: This historical monument was built by the British to provide a defensive structure for their officials and factories. The Kolkata Maidan extends for 3 km along the walls of the fort.
Eden Garden: Best known for the cricket stadium located in this area, Eden Garden is a leisure garden popular with tourists.
Kali Mandir: This historic temple is the temple from which the name of the original village and then the city of Kolkata is derived.
Belur Math: Ramakrishna Mission, a religious movement that has centers across India was started here in 1899. This unique building is a symbol of the unity of all religions and is a church, temple, and mosque, together.
These are some of the attractions of Kolkata that you will see on tours of Kolkata with Tour Packages for India.
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