Marble Palace- Kolkata (Neoclassical Architecture)

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                              MARBLE PALACE

The beautiful 19th century Marble Palace mansion was built by a rich Bengali merchant, Raja Rajendra Mullick in 1835.

Raja Rajendra Mullick, apart from being a wealthy merchant, also had a penchant for collecting works of art from various places that he visited. The Jagannath temple built within the premises of the palace mansion was built by his father, Sri Nilmoni Mullick, who had adopted Rajendra Mullick as his son. The temple predates the mansion and is still in very good shape, however, it can only be accessed by the members of Mullick family and is not meant for visitors / tourists.

History Of Marble Palace 

The Marble Palace in 1945

The house was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali merchant with a passion for collecting works of art. The house continues to be a residence for his descendants, and the current occupants are the family of Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur. Raja Rajendra Mullick was the adopted son of Nilmoni Mullick, who built a Jagannath temple which predates Marble Palace, and still stands within the premises, but is only accessible to members of the family.

Architecture Of Marble Palace 

The Marble Palace Mansion is an architectural masterpiece that was built with a mix of neoclassical style with traditional Bengali elements and additional touches of Chinese style. It was built from superior quality Italian marble giving the entire structure a look of magnificence. The mansion is built with about 126 different types of marbles, picked and chosen from various places of the country to make it an architectural elegance.

The palace is divided into five halls - Reception Hall, Painting Room, Sculpture room, Billiards Room and Thakur Dalan (place of worship).

The main façade is built in Neoclassical style with tall fluted Corinthian columns and bas reliefs which opens into courtyards that are largely traditional Bengali style. There is a small place of worship for the family, located just adjacent to the courtyard and is also called the “Thakur Dalaan”.

The intricate carvings on the marble pillars, floorings and walls of the palace has great resemblance to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which was also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The massive corridors are lined with chandeliers, Victorian furniture, sculptures and portraits.

The fretwork of the verandas and balconies, are inspired by Chinese elements and the sloping roofs are inspired by Chinese style pavilion.

Images of Marble Palace 

Timings and Entry Fee of Marble Palace Mansion Kolkata.

The visiting hours at Marble Palace Mansion are between 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The palace remains closed for visitors on Mondays and Thursdays.

There are no entry fees required to visit the palace.

Marble Palace Mansion Kolkata Entry Permit

One needs to obtain a prior special permit to visit the palace. The permit can be obtained from the West Bengal Tourism Information Bureau at BBD Bag, Kolkata. Once inside the premises, the visitors are given an escorted tour across the property, where a guide provides valuable insights about the various objects and artworks on exhibit.

The Marble Palace Mansion is a private property and hence, photography anywhere inside the premises is a strict  no.

 

How to reach Marble Palace kolkata.

Most recommended mode of transport to reach the Marble Palace would be by metro.

The nearest metro station to reach Marble Palace is Girish Park Metro Station. The mansion is about 5-minute walk from the station. It's a little hard to find as it is at the end of a street, that is off one of the main streets. One needs to ask around and the locals would help with right directions.

Another alternative way to reach Marble Palace is renting a cab (Ola, Uber, etc.) or hire yellow taxis or one can book a private cab from top car rental companies in Kolkata during their entire stay in Kolkata.