Description of the attraction
St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, located in Calcutta, West Bengal, is part of the Church of North India, a united church that is part of the International Union of Anglican Churches.
The Cathedral is one of Kolkata's most interesting landmarks, along with the Victoria Memorial and Birla Planetarium. The construction of the cathedral began in 1839 by order of Bishop Daniel Wilson. It lasted eight years and was completed only in 1847. The chief architect was the military engineer Major William Nairn Forbes. He, together with S. K. Robinson, designed a temple that resembled a cathedral in the city of Norwich (Norwich), England.
The magnificent snow-white building, made in the neo-Gothic style, which was extremely popular during the British rule in India, cannot fail to attract attention. It is a structure over 75 meters high and about 25 meters wide. Its tower is 61 meters high. The main hall of the cathedral has a rectangular shape, with a high vaulted ceiling decorated with graceful arches. Carved wooden chairs and benches line both sides of the hall, while the windows on the west wall are decorated with magnificent stained-glass windows. The eastern wall is completely covered with amazingly beautiful Florentine frescoes. In addition, other walls of the building are painted with floral designs and plant ornaments, and there are also paintings depicting scenes and the life of the Apostle Paul.
In the underground room is the tomb of Bishop Wilson, who initiated the creation of the temple.
Outside, St. Paul's Cathedral is surrounded by a small garden, which has recently been equipped with a dedicated meditation area.
