Heritage structures in Mumbai

Many heritage structures are found in Mumbai, India.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus at night

Background

Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, consists of seven islands by the coast of Arabian Sea that are connected by bridges and land fill. It is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the business and financial capital of India.[1] Mumbai transferred from Portuguese to British rule as part of Catherine of Braganza’s dowry to Charles II in 1661. It rose to become India's largest city, driven in large part by its status as a leading cotton trading market and shipping port.

Heritage structures

Mumbai's history offers many heritage structures and historical precincts. Most are located in the south of Mumbai, as historically, access to the city was only through the port there. The southern tip of the city is home to the Fort precinct, the urban core of Bombay during the colonial period that was once enclosed by fortified walls. Mumbai had 591 heritage structures registered as of 2012. These include buildings, archaeological sites, colonial, industrial, domestic architectural sites and public spaces. A consulting committee called "The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee" guides the process. All work related to heritage structures needs approval from this committee. Heritage structures are classified as Grade I, Grade IIA, Grade IIB or Grade III. Most of the structures were built in the British period. They are in the Victorian Neo Gothic architectural style, Indo-Saracenic Revival or Neoclassical styles. The Elephanta Caves and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station are recognised as World Heritage Sites Mumbai is also home to a large number of Art Deco structures, with the largest count of buildings in this style after Miami. Many of these buildings are cinema halls, such as Eros Cinema and Regal Cinema. A string of Art Deco apartment buildings lines the city's waterfront promenade, Marine Drive. Conservationists and community groups attempted to have Mumbai's Art Deco buildings recognised as UNESCO world heritage status in 2013, but their attempts were unsuccessful.[2]

Awards

Some Mumbai heritage structures have received Unesco awards. The Lal Chimney Compound received an award of distinction in the 2013 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards and the Royal Bombay Yacht Club Residential Chambers won an award of merit in the 2013 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.[3]

Bombay Heritage Walks

Walking tours expose many residents and visitors to the structures. They are sponsored by the Bombay Heritage Walks group, established in April 1999. The group was established by city architects Abha Bahl and Brinda Gaitonde. Their aim is to "raise the awareness of the people of Mumbai and visitors, about the city’s architecture and heritage monuments. Personalized, educative and imaginative; the walking tours highlight the vast range of architectural styles, planning elements and ornamental details, tracing the social and cultural history of the city."[4]

See also

Images

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Miami of India: The Forgotten Capital of Art Deco". Messynessychic. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  3. ↑ "UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation". Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Bombay Heritage Walks". Retrieved 17 October 2013.

External links

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