Fort William in Kolkata – The Mighty Edifice

A lavish edifice dating back to the British Raj – Fort William, Kolkata is a gala affair spread over an expanse of 70.9 acres. Considered among the must-see historical attractions in the city, the Kolkata Fort William stands tall on the eastern banks of Hooghly River overlooking the huge Brrigade Parade Ground.

Fort William – A Quick Glance

What is it: Fort then, garrisoned and armoured Army Headquarters now

Built in: 1696 -1702

In use: 1781 - Present

Timings: 10:00am - 5:30pm

Famous as: A historic structure; Cultural hotspot

Visit duration: 3-4 hours

Best time to visit: October to March

Best day to visit: 16th December “Vijay Diwas”

Fort William – An Overview

Fort William in Kolkata is one of the major tourist attractions in Kolkata, mainly for its historical connect and majestic architecture. Standing on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, Fort William portrays a colonial existence in the city.

As per history, there were two Fort Williams – the old and the new one respectively. The original Fort William was built in 1696 and consisted of a two-storied building and the guard room of the entire structure.

It was much later in 1757 during the War of Plassey, Siraj-Ud-Daulah – the Nawaab of Bengal – made an attack on the fort defeating the British. The prisons were made captive in a dungeon – an incident that was termed as the Black Hole Tragedy. It was after the incident, the fort was renewed in an attempt to make it stronger. Sir Robert Clive commenced the building of the new fort which was completed in 1780.

Fort William – Architecture

The Kolkata Fort William is an octagonal structure facing the River Ganga from three sides, while the other five sides face towards the lush gardens of the Maidan Grounds. Embellished with hundreds of arched windows that overlook the greenery, the Fort is beautifully adorned with stonework on its surface.

The fort is entirely built with brick and mortar, and maintains a pattern that would not be easily penetrable with cannon firing slid shot. There is a moat inside the star-pattern design to provide protection against firing on the wall.

There are six gates for entrance inside the fort, namely - Chowringhee, Plassey, Calcutta, Water Gate, St Georges and the Treasury Gate. Among these, the Plassey Gate is the most prominent with a huge archway.

There is a church named St. Peter Church inside the new fort which was constructed in the year 1928. The church used to serve as a chaplaincy centre for the British, but is now converted into a library for the army troops of HQ Eastern Command.

Fort William – The Present Day

Today, the fort serves as a property of the Indian Army. It is at present the headquarters of eastern command based inside. The fort can accommodate around 10,000 army personnel, and there are several facilities inside the enclosure including shopping mall, cinema hall, restaurants, swimming pool, post office, boxing stadium, firing range, laundry, etc. exclusively for the military residing inside.

There is also an intimidating Arsenal inside, and to visit the same, you need prior permission of the Commanding Officer of the Fort.

Fort William – Historical Inputs

Fort William in Kolkata is famous for its long and illustrious history – for both the old and new forts. The construction of the old one began in 1696 by the British East India Company under the authority of John Goldsborough along the Hooghly River. The South-East Bastion was the first part to be constructed. The Fort was named after King William III (1700).

The following year had North-East Bastion added to the Fort along with the beginning of the Government House right at the centre of the fort. In the year 1706, the entire construction was done with the final edifice with two-stories and projecting wings added. There was an internal guard room known as 'Black Hole of Calcutta'.

In the year 1756, the Fort William, Kolkata was attacked by the Nawaab of Bengal and the city was temporarily under his rule. The region was renamed as “Alinagar” and the control of the fort was also taken over.

This ultimately led the British to construct a new and stronger fort in the Maidan Ground under Robert Clive. It took a time period of two years and a pocket pinch of two million pounds (then) to construct and complete the new fort.

What’s inside the Fort William?

Owing to its importance as a historical place, the Fort William premise has a museum with a huge collection of exhibits majorly of wars and battles that took place during medieval ages and also some modern day utilities. You can also see cannons and tanks on display, which were captured during the 1971 War of Bangladesh Liberation.

Several new constructions have been added to the new fort post-independence. There is a 9-hole golf course inside the new fort for entertaining the elite military class.

The Fort is the asset of Indian Army and the headquarters of Eastern Army Command. There are a number of modern facilities like a swimming pool, a firing range, a boxing stadium, a shopping complex, movie theatre restaurants, an outdoor playground, and a post office.

There is an Arsenal which is not permissible for regular visitors and you need to get special permission to visit the place in written by the commanding officer.

The St Peter’s Church is now a library, which was initially built as a regiment exclusively for British soldiers. Additionally, there’s a storage room for rations during crisis like famine, flood and military situations.

The Kitchener’s House inside the fort used to serve as the house of Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener. He took the possession of the place during his tenure as the Commander-in-Chief during 1902-1909. Currently, the place is used as an official mess of Bengal Presidency officers after 1911, when the capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.

The Access to the Fort William

The access to the Fort is limited, as no civilians are allowed to enter the premises. Only the defence personnel and their relatives are allowed. However, one can enter on invitation access or prior permission taken from camp commanding officer.

The Indian Army conducts a special annual program on 16th December on the occasion of Vijay Diwas. The arrangements and the programs are a treat to the eyes as a whole.