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Bangalore Royal Walk: Colonial History, Iconic Buildings and Museum Visit
Bengaluru
Explore the colonial history of Bangalore on a walking tour, visiting iconic buildings and the Government Museum. Discover the city's British influence and ancient artistic achievements.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
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St. Mark’s Cathedral - From the meeting point, which is the Bible Society of India, we walk and visit the St. Mark’s Cathedral which is a hop away. St. Mark’s Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mark the Evangelist, is noted for its English Baroque architecture and inspired by the 17th century St Paul’s Cathedral of London. Built initially in 1812 but went through massive reconstruction 1927 because of a major fire which broke out in 1923. One of the important possessions of the Cathedral is the pipe organ which was installed as a gift by Avis F Cowdrey of the Cowdrey family (father of former English Cricket Captain Colin Cowdrey), in memory of his parents in 1929. If entry to the Church is not possible for some reason, we see it from outside.
From here, we walk to the Statue of Queen Victoria which takes around 5 minutes. -
Queen Victoria Statue - The Statue of Queen Victoria is located at one of the entrances of Cubbon Park. The statue was unveiled on 5 February 1906 by the then Prince of Wales, the future King George V. The statue was raised out of funds raised by the residents of the Bangalore Civil and Military Station and contributions made by Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore. This Statue of Queen Victoria is one of the five of the original 50 statues of Queen Victoria which were installed in British India, to still stand at its original location.
From here we walk inside the Cubbon park, parallel to the Queen’s road for about 10 minutes. - Statue of Edward VII, Bangalore - Edward VII reigned as the King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India between 1901 and 1910, following his mother Queen Victoria’s death in 1901. The statue was unveiled on November 1919 by the then Viceroy and Governor-General of India, Frederic John Napier, Baron Chelmsford.
- Vidhana Soudha - Vidhana Soudha is the most important landmark of Bangalore. It is the Parliament of the State of Karnataka and the seat of power. It was built in 1956 by Kengal Hanumanthayya, the then Chief Minister. It is very interesting to note that a critical remark made by a Russian delegation member in 1950 prompted the CM to initiate this building. And he chose to build it right about the British vestige in a way to dominate it. Built in neo-dravidian architecture, Vidhana Soudh can be considered as one of the Top 10 parliament buildings in the World. This building can only be seen from the outside since entry is not allowed.
- High Court of Karnataka - Attara Kacheri represents the Colonial past of India. This building was built by the British in 1864 to house their Administrative machinery in South India. After the Indian Independence, Attara Kacheri served as the Legislature of Mysore State until the construction of Vidhana Soudha. Presently this building houses the High Court of Karnataka. Again this building can be seen only from the outside. After this, a 20 minute walk through the Cubbon Park takes us to the Bangalore Archaeological Museum which is located on other edge of the park.
- Cubbon Park - This 300 acre park serves as the lung space in Central Bangalore. It contributes to Bangalore being called the Garden City of India. The park was created by Major General R. H. Sankey and was called the Meade Park originally after Sir John Meade, the acting Commissioner of Mysore State in 1870. Later it was renamed as Cubbon Park in honor of the longest serving British Commissioner of British Bangalore. The park was further renamed as Sri Chamarajendra Park after the 23rd ruler of Wodeyar dynasty in Mysore. But the park is still popular under the older name “Cubbon Park”. Walking through this park, one passes by the statue of Sir Mark Cubbon, Band stand, Sheshadri Iyer memorial library, statue of Chamarajendra Wodeyar the Xth, etc before arriving at the Bangalore Archeological Museum.
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Government Museum - Government Museum of Bangalore was established in 1865 by the Mysore State with the guidance of Surgeon Edward Balfour. It is one of the oldest museums in India and the second oldest museum in South India after the Egmore museum in Chennai. It is now an archaeological museum and has a rare collection of archaeological and geological artifacts including old jewellery, sculpture, coins and inscriptions. The museum is also home to the Halmidi inscription, the earliest known Kannada inscription dated to 450 AD.
The Walk ends after the visit of this Museum.
What's Included
- All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
- Tips/gratuity to guide
Additional Information
This historical walk provides an insightful journey into Bangalore’s colonial past. It illuminates the influence of the British and delves into their role in shaping Contemporary Bangalore. The tour features two significant public establishments of Bangalore, constructed in diverse times, but currently standing face to face. A leisurely stroll through Cubbon park is invigorating and has greatly helped Bangalore earn the epithet ‘Garden City of India’. The assortment of plant species enhances the allure of the walk through Cubbon park. An exploration of the Government Museum showcases the remarkable artistic works from the past kingdoms of Hoysala, Vijayanagara, Chalukya, Gangas, Cholas, and others. The museum itself harbours numerous artifacts from the neolithic and megalithic eras of Karnataka. For those who are not planning to visit the temples of Belur, Halebid, Hampi, Mysore, etc., a trip to this museum can serve as an excellent alternative.
- Foreign languages Guiding in French, Italian, or German is subject to availability
- For any reason if the church or the museum is closed, we visit them from the outside only
Location
Bible Society of India, Karnataka Auxiliary
Mahatma Gandhi Road
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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