“Let us have a building, stately, spacious, monumental and grand.” These are the words of Lord Curzon. He envisioned a memorial to Queen Victoria. Now, we stand before the Empress of India Victoria Statue. It is a testament to a bygone era.
The Empress of India Victoria Statue is part of the Victoria Memorial. This grand marble monument graces the Maidan in Central Kolkata. Its entrance faces Queen’s Way. The British Raj built it between 1906 and 1921. It honors Queen Victoria. She was the Empress of India from 1876 to 1901.
The Victoria Memorial stands as the largest monument to a monarch globally. It occupies 64 acres of gardens. Today, it functions as a museum. The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, oversees it. Its Indo-Saracenic architecture makes it a popular attraction.
Lord Curzon’s plans for the Victoria Memorial predated Victoria’s death in 1901. He aimed to create a historical museum. The Queen’s death provided the perfect occasion to monumentalize the British Empire.
Following Victoria’s death on January 22, 1901, Curzon emphasized the importance of Victoria’s matriarchy. He proposed a grand building with a museum and gardens. He believed it would promote loyalist feelings.
Government officials, princes, politicians, and the Indian people responded generously. They funded the monument’s construction through voluntary subscriptions. The total cost amounted to one crore, five lakhs of Rupees.
The chosen site was near present-day Raj Bhawan. It was then known as Government House. Curzon’s departure in 1905 delayed construction. Enthusiasm for the project waned. Concerns arose about the foundations’ strength. Tests were conducted. On January 4, 1906, George, the Prince of Wales, laid the foundation stone.
Messrs Martin and Co. of Calcutta undertook the construction. Work on the superstructure began in 1910. Before completion, George V, the Emperor of India, moved the capital from Calcutta to New Delhi in 1911. The Victoria Memorial stood in a major provincial capital, not the national one. The Victoria Memorial was completed and opened to the public in December 1921. The Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, officiated.
After 1947, additions were made to the Memorial. William Emerson designed the Victoria Memorial. His design blends British and Mughal elements. It also incorporates Venetian, Egyptian, and Deccani influences.
The building measures 338 by 228 feet. It rises to a height of 184 feet. White Makrana marble was used for its construction. Curzon intended the central chamber to be sixty-four feet in diameter. This made it slightly larger than the Taj Mahal. Its design echoes the Taj Mahal. It features a dome, four subsidiaries, and octagonal-domed chattris. High portals, a terrace, and domed corner towers add to its grandeur.
Inside the rotunda, twelve canvas lunettes by Frank Salisbury celebrate key moments in Victoria’s life. Lord Redesdale and David Prain designed the gardens. Vincent Jerome Esch, Emerson’s assistant, designed the north aspect bridge and garden gates.
Esch also created the 16 ft Angel of Victory statue. It sits atop the central dome. H.H. Martyn and Co. of Cheltenham cast it. Allegorical sculptures surround the dome. They represent Art, Architecture, Justice, and Charity. Motherhood, Prudence, and Learning adorn the North Porch.
George Frampton created a bronze statue of Victoria. It commemorates her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Curzon commissioned Thomas Brock to produce a statue of Victoria in her coronation robes. This statue became the keynote of the central hall. The bronze gate at the entrance features the royal coat of arms. Martyns also cast this.
The Empress of India Victoria Statue and the Victoria Memorial, stand as symbols of history. They showcase art and architecture. They invite us to reflect on the past. They remind us of the stories etched in stone and marble.