ARCHITECTURAL MUMBAI
1. Dhanraj Mahal
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
Built in the 1930s, this colossal building was once the palace of Raja Dhanrajgir of Hyderabad. It overlooks the Arabian Sea and is now one of Mumbai’s Art Deco heritage buildings.
2. Bombay High Court
Fort Area • 022 2267 3090 • Open 10:30am–5:30pm Mon–Sat • www.bombayhighcourt.nic.in
Completed in 1878, this four-storeyed stone structure is one of the oldest high courts in India. It was designed by British Colonel J A Fuller, and is a prime example of Gothic architecture with enormous towers and wide staircases.
Bombay High Court’s picturesque complex
3. Maharashtra Police Headquarters
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg, Colaba • 022 2202 1005 • www.mahapolice.gov.in
Initially known as the Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home, this landmark building was designed by F W Stevens. It was constructed between 1872 and 1876 using blue basalt stone, with red Mangalore tiles covering its roof.
4. University of Mumbai
M G Rd, Fort Area • 022 2270 8700 • Open 10:20am–6pm Mon–Sat (except 2nd and 4th Monday) • www.mu.ac.in
Founded in 1857, this is one of the oldest universities in India. It has three campuses across Mumbai and one outside the city.
5. Ballard Estate
Near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Fort Area
This business district, built in the early 20th century, is Scottish architect George Wittet’s masterpiece. It boasts several buildings erected in Edwardian Neo-Classical style, as well as many open spaces and wide roads.
6. Horniman Circle
Veer Nariman Rd, Fort Area • Open 8am–8pm daily
Originally called the Elphinstone Circle, this historical landmark has a large garden in the centre with an elegant circle of Neo-Classical buildings around it. These structures represent the earliest planned urban constructions in Mumbai.
Horniman Circle
7. Bandra–Worli Sea Link
The Bandra–Worli Sea Link is the first-of-its-kind eight-lane bridge to be constructed over open sea. Built over the Arabian Sea, it links Bandra and West Mumbai with Worli, reducing travel time from an hour to just a few minutes. A fine example of modern architecture, this bridge is a grand presence on the western horizon of Mumbai.
8. Mulji Jetha Fountain
Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd, Ballard Estate, Fort Area • Open daily
Designed by renowned 19th-century architect Frederick William Stevens, this stone fountain took form by 1894. It was built in memory of Mumbai merchant Ruttonsee Mulji’s only son, and stands out for its Indo-Saracenic architectural style. The top of the fountain has a sculpture of a boy, and the lower section is carved with Indian motifs and animal heads.
9. General Post Office
Near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Fort Area • 022 2262 0693 • Open 10am–6pm Mon–Sat • www.maharashtrapost.gov.in
A classic example of Indo-Saracenic style, Mumbai’s General Post Office building was designed by architect John Begg. It is a splendid composition of minarets, domes and arches, and was inspired by the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur in the state of Karnataka.
Interior of the General Post Office
10. Eros Cinema
Cambata Building, Maharshi Karve Rd, opposite Churchgate Station • 022 2282 2335/6828 • www.erostheatre.com
The grand Eros cinema building is a notable example of the Art Deco architectural design that became quite a trend in Mumbai during the 1930s. With its stunning symmetry and soft-coloured murals, this cinema house changed the city’s skyline. It was the first cinema house of its kind and remains an important building in the city.
