When you see this UNESCO World Heritage–listed train station, you’ll understand why it’s described as an eastern version of London’s St. Pancras. This imposing reminder of the British raj, designed in an extravagant Victorian-Gothic style with Islamic and Hindu elements thrown in, is often referred to by its colonial name of Victoria Terminus, or VT; a statue of Queen Victoria still lords over the building’s dome. Inside, watch with awe as thousands of people spill on and off the trains—and if you’re feeling brave, have a go at riding the rails yourself.
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
When you see this UNESCO World Heritage–listed train station, you’ll understand why it’s described as an eastern version of London’s St. Pancras. This imposing reminder of the British raj, designed in an extravagant Victorian-Gothic style with Islamic and Hindu elements thrown in, is often referred to by its colonial name of Victoria Terminus, or VT; a statue of Queen Victoria still lords over the building’s dome. Inside, watch with awe as thousands of people spill on and off the trains—and if you’re feeling brave, have a go at riding the rails yourself.
Visit the CST Railway Museum & Building
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) recently opened its doors to the public as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour begins at the Railway Museum, which chronicles the story of the Central Railway, going as far back as 1849 when the company was called the Great Indian Peninsula Railways. This is then followed by a guided tour of the Neo-Gothic structure that houses offices, VIP waiting rooms, and terraces. Here you’ll see stained glass, intricate carvings, marble work, a central staircase, and spectacular city views. Tours begin at 3 p.m., and only 50 passes are issued per day.
Bustle
The buzz keeps going through the night in Mumbai like it does in NY
World Heritage Site - Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,Mumbai
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station, in Mumbai, is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India, blended with themes deriving from Indian traditional architecture. The building, designed by the British architect F. W. Stevens, became the symbol of Bombay as the ‘Gothic City’ and the major international mercantile port of India. The terminal was built over 10 years, starting in 1878, according to a High Victorian Gothic design based on late medieval Italian models. Its remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture. It is an outstanding example of the meeting of two cultures, as British architects worked with Indian craftsmen to include Indian architectural tradition and idioms thus forging a new style unique to Bombay.
