Marble palace

4.4

Location: 46, Muktaram Babu St, opp. Ram Mandir, Raja Katra, Jorasanko, Kolkata, West Bengal 700007, India

Estimated visiting time: 1 hour

In North Kolkata, a palatial nineteenth-century mansion is popularly known as Marble Palace. It is one of the most elegant and best-preserved houses of the nineteenth century in Calcutta. For its marble walls, floors, and sculptures, the mansion is famous, from which it derives its name.

Attraction

With its lavish floor of marble inlay, along with statues of Napoleon and Wellington, it is worth a mention of the music room within the palace building. From a collection of original 19th-century disco balls that spread the illumination of the chandeliers, the ballroom is still lined with candle chandeliers and silvered glass balls. Making it a treasure trove of valuable artifacts collected over the past 180 years, the palace houses 76 rare artworks brought in 1830 all the way from Italy and Belgium. Having the full potential of grabbing the immediate attention of any visitor there is a massive Japanese bronze vase in the doorway. More depth is given to the ambiance of the place by the full-length Belgian glass mirrors that adorn the walls. By European and Indian artists and other artifacts, Marble Palace contains many paintings, pieces of Victorian furniture, western sculptures, etc. Including large chandeliers, there are figurative objects such as floor-to-ceiling mirrors, clocks, urns, and royal busts. There are two paintings preset at the house –

The Marriage of St. Catherine, made by Peter Paul Rubens
The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian.

History

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

Inside/Outside Views

While the plan with its open courtyards is largely traditional Bengali, the house is Neoclassical in style. For members of the family, there is a thakur-dalan, or place of worship, adjacent to the courtyard. With fretwork and sloping roofs, the three-story building has ornamented verandas and tall fluted Corinthian pillars, built in the style of a Chinese pavilion. With lawns, the premises also include a garden, a rock garden, a lake, and a small zoo.

Opening Hours

Monday Closed / Holiday
Tuesday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Thursday Closed / Holiday
Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Entry & Others Fees

No entry fee needed.

Near Restaurants

Near Hotels

How to Reach

By Air: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the closest and most easily accessible airport.

By Train: Howrah junction is the closest railway station.

By Bus: To this area, all local buses ply.

To reach the Marble Palace, the most recommended mode of transport would be by metro.

Girish Park Metro Station is the closest metro station to reach the palace. From the station, the mansion is about a 5-minute walk. As it is at the end of a street, it’s a little hard to find, that is off one of the main streets. One might be needed to ask for help or directions from the locals.

Renting a cab (Ola, Uber, etc.) or hiring yellow taxis might be another alternative way to reach Marble Palace or one can book a private cab from top car rental companies in Kolkata.