Prinsep Ghat, Colonial ghat on Hooghly River in Kolkata, India
Prinsep Ghat is a stepped riverfront descent to the Hooghly in Kolkata, India, topped with a white marble Palladian pavilion. The columns support an arch with Greek and Gothic elements, while a planted walkway runs along the water behind it.
The structure was built in 1841 to honor James Prinsep, a British orientalist who decoded the Brahmi script and made ancient Indian inscriptions readable. The memorial was designed by architect William Fitzgerald, who created several public buildings in Kolkata.
The site takes its name from a scholar who deciphered the Brahmi script in the 19th century. In the evening, locals come here to watch the Vidyasagar Setu bridge from the river.
The site sits between the Water Gate and St. George's Gate of Fort William and can be reached through the nearby Prinsep Ghat railway station. The best time to visit is late afternoon, when the light softens and fewer people crowd the steps.
The pavilion is one of the few spots in Kolkata where Greek column order and Gothic pointed arches sit side by side. Before the memorial was built, the spot served as a boat landing for vessels moving between the city's harbor districts.
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