Mumbai heritage walk- Story of Gothic and Art Deco buildings

A UNESCO heritage building, CST is arguably the best example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India. What is remarkable is that the Gothic elements are blended with themes deriving from Indian traditional architecture. With more than 6 million daily commuters, CST is one of the busiest train stations in the world.

We visit Eros Cinema and see it from outside. It is a fine cinema hall built in Art Deco style. We will notice that the building resembles a wedding cake as it rises in tiers topped by a semi-circular tower!

We next walk to an impressive residential Art Deco building called Empress Court. We will see it from outside. We will discuss about how living in these Art Deco building used to be a symbol of status and wealth!

Next we will visit the High court building of Mumbai from outside. It is a splendid specimen of Gothic architecture. We will look for the statues of Justice & Mercy on top of the building which serve as an inspiration for law abiding citizens!

Its time to visit the Big Ben of Mumbai. Listen to the story of how it got financed to help the visually challenged mother of the patron to listen to the chimes and keep her fasts punctually! This building will be seen from outside.

We will get to know a Jewish banker named David Sassoon who built a magnificent Gothic structure as a reading room and library. Only members are allowed inside and so we will see it from the lobby.

We will appreciate the architecture of Elphinston College, a remarkable Gothic structure. The institution has an illustrious alumni including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Dr BR Ambedkar and Jamshedji Tata. This building will be seen from outside.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya or the Prince of Wales Museum is housed in a magnificent heritage building which was earlier used as a military hospital for the Children’s Welfare Exhibitions during the first world war. The Museum was built in order to commemorate the visit of King George V to Mumbai. This building will be seen from outside.