Victoria Memorial to Belvedere House: Kolkata’s new ‘Cultural Space’

Prime Minister recently inaugurated India’s first dedicated “cultural space” in Kolkata. Four iconic colonial buildings — the Old Currency Building, Metcalfe Hall, the Belvedere House and the Victoria Memorial Hall — have been refurbished to collectively emerge as a cultural hub.

Old Currency Building

• The three-storeyed structure was built in 1833, designed in Italian style with Venetian windows, cast iron grates, portcullis and railings. But it had been lying derelict. In 2005, the building was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for restoration.

Belvedere House

• Located in Alipore, Belvedere House was the former palace ....