Writers' Building, Colonial administrative building in B.B.D. Bagh, Kolkata, India
Writers' Building is a colonial-era administrative structure in the B.B.D. Bagh area of Kolkata that extends 150 meters along the northern side of Lal Dighi. The Georgian architecture features high ceilings and large windows across multiple floors.
The building was constructed in 1777 to house European clerks working for the British East India Company. Later the structure was converted to serve as the secretariat of the West Bengal state government.
The structure still carries the British term for clerks and junior employees in its name. Allegorical figures decorate the facade showing Minerva, Justice, Commerce, Science, and Agriculture in classical form.
The administrative complex sits in Ward 45 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and can be reached by several public transport routes. The large compound covers 550,000 square feet (51,000 square meters) along the central square.
In December 1930 three freedom fighters entered the offices and shot Colonel N.S. Simpson during working hours. The subsequent gunfight with British authorities became a symbolic moment in the Indian independence struggle.
Location: Ward No. 45, Kolkata Municipal Corporation
Address: BBD Bag North
Phone: +913322145600
Website: http://wb.gov.in
GPS coordinates: 22.57369,88.34963
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:24
British rule in India from 1800 to 1947 left a distinct architectural legacy across major Indian cities. European styles including Victorian Gothic, Neoclassical and Renaissance merged with Indian decorative motifs and craftsmanship. The result was the Indo-Saracenic style, a hybrid form that expressed colonial power while incorporating local building traditions. Mumbai presents this architecture through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the Rajabai Clock Tower and the Gateway of India. Kolkata displays it in the Victoria Memorial and Writers' Building, while Delhi offers Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Maidens Hotel. Chennai shows the Madras High Court and Government Museum, Hyderabad holds Falaknuma Palace and Shimla houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. These structures served as government seats, courthouses, railway stations, hotels and museums, and continue to define the urban landscape of Indian cities today.
Kolkata's past surfaces in religious sites, colonial buildings, and busy markets scattered across the city. The British era left its mark through the white marble Victoria Memorial and administrative structures around BBD Bagh and the Writers Building. Religious spaces range from the Dakshineswar Kali Temple on the Hooghly River to the neo-Gothic St. Paul's Cathedral and historic synagogues like Beth El and Maghen David. The Kumartuli neighborhood is known for artisans who mold clay figures for religious festivals, while New Market offers textiles, spices, and household goods. The Indian Museum holds ancient collections and archaeological finds, and Science City houses a planetarium and science exhibitions.
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