General Post Office (GPO) (Kolkata)

India / Bangla / Barabazar / Kolkata
 office building, monument, post office, heritage
A heritage building right in the heart of Dalhousie Square, Kolkata (PIN 700001) housing the general post office. This two-storied Victorian style building with an impressive dome is a key landmark for Kolkata. Earlier Fort William was situated here. A long strip of brass on the eastern staircase of GPO is the reminiscent of initial Fort William of Kolkata.

This magnificent building of Kolkata GPO was constructed in 1868 at a cost of Rs. 6.5 lakhs.The design was prepared by Sir Walter B. Granville Eastern Bengal Railway.The post of Postmaster General of Calcutta GPO , however was created in 1850 and in the same year, mail strted getting sent from Calcutta to Kanpur in horse carts.A postal club was started in the GPO in 1905.GPO also maintained the oversees letters and the "Dak Palki". The clock that you see below the dome was purchased at a cost of Rs.7000 from London. A postal museum and philatelic library was opened on 02.11.1979.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPO_Kolkata
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   22°34'22"N   88°20'50"E

Comments

  • A wonderful structure housing some pretty horrible sarkari babus (government clerks).
  • General Post Office (GPO). 79-B Dalhousie Square. Kolkata G.P.O., Kolkata700001. the commercial hub of the city designed by Walter B. Grenville was built in 1864. It is one of the most prestigious Heritage Buildings of Kolkata.
This article was last modified 6 years ago