DEVELOPMENT OF

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
IN INDIA
BRITISH COLONIAL ERA ( 1615 –
1947)
• THE BRITISH ARRIVAL IN 1615 OVERTHREW THE MUGHAL EMPIRE.
• BRITAIN REIGNED INDIA FOR OVER THREE HUNDRED YEARS AND
THEIR LEGACY STILL REMAINS THROUGH BUILDING AND
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT POPULATE THEIR FORMER COLONIES.

• THE MAJOR CITIES COLONIZED DURING THIS

PERIOD WERE
MADRAS,CALCUTTA,BOMBAY,DELHI,AGRA,BANKIP
ORE(PATNA),KARACHI,NAGPUR,BHOPAL AND
HYDERABAD.
ST ANDREWS KIRK, MADRAS
• IT IS RENOWNED FOR ITS COLONIAL BEAUTY.THE BUILDING IS
CIRCULAR IN FORM AND IS SIDED BY TWO RECTANGULAR
SECTIONS ONE IS THE ENTRANCE PORCH.
• THE ENTRANCE IS LINED WITH TWELVE COLONNADES AND
TWO BRITISH LIONS AND MOTTO OF EAST INDIA COMPANY
ENGRAVED ON THEM.
• THE INTERIOR HOLDS SIXTEEN COLUMNS
AND THE DOME IS PAINTED BLUE WITH
DECORATED WITH GOLD STARS.
THE VICTORIAN
• IT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE SYMBOLISM OF BRITISH EMPIRE,
MEMORIAL,CALCUTTA
BUILT AS A MONUMENT IN TRIBUTE TO QUEEN VICTORIA
REGIN.
• THE PLAN OF THE BUILDING CONSISTS OF ONE LARGE
CENTRAL PART COVERED WITH A LARGER DOME.IT STANDS
ON 26 HECTARES OF GARDEN SURROUNDED BY REFLECTIVE
POOLS.
• COLONNADES SEPARATE THE TWO CHAMBERS, EACH
CORNER HOLDS A SMALLER DOME AND IS FLOORED WITH
MARBLE PLINTH.
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI
TERMINUS,MUMBAI
•THE STATION BUILDING IS DESIGNED IN THE HIGH VICTORIAN GOTHIC STYLE OF
ARCHITECTURE. THE BUILDING EXHIBITS A FUSION OF INFLUENCES FROM VICTORIAN
ITALIANATE GOTHIC REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE AND TRADITIONAL INDIAN ARCHITECTURE.
• THE CENTRALLY DOMED OFFICE STRUCTURE HAS A 330 FEET LONG
PLATFORM CONNECTED TO A 1,200 FEET LONG TRAIN SHED, AND IT’S
OUTLINE PROVIDES THE SKELETON PLAN FOR BUILDING VT’S DOM OF
DOVETAILED RIBS,BUILT WITHOUT CENTERING, WAS CONSIDERED AS A
• THE COLUMNS
NOVEL OF THEOF
ACHIEVEMENT ENTRANCE
THE ERA.
GATES ARE CROWNED BY FIGURES
OF A LION AND A TIGER.
• THE MAIN STRUCTURE IS BUILT
FROM A BLEND OF INDIA
SANDSTONE AND LIMESTONE,
WHILE HIGHHIGH-QUALITY ITALIAN
MARBLE WAS USED FOR THE KEY
DECORATIVE ELEMENTS.
• THE STONE ARCHES ARE COVERED
WITH THE CARVED FOLIAGE AND
GROTESQUES.
GATE WAY OF INDIA
• THE ARCHITECT GEORGE WITTER COMBINED THE ELEMENTS OF THE
ROMAN TRIUMPHAL ARCH AND THE 16TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURE OF
GUJARAT ITS DESIGN IS A COMBINATION OF HINDU AND MUSLIM
• ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.
THE ARCH IS OF MUSLIM STYLE WHILE THE DECORATIONS ARE OF HINDU
STYLE.
• THE GATE WAY IS BUILT FROM YELLOW BASALT AND REINFORCED
CONCRETE.
• THE STONE WAS LOCALLY OBTAINED
AND THE PERFORATED SCREENS
WERE BROUGHT FROM GWALIOR.
• THE GATE WAY FACES OUT TO
MUMBAI HARBOURS FROM THE TOP
OF APOLLO BUNDER.
PORTUGUESE: 1498 - 1961
• THE INTERIOR OF GOAN PORTUGUESE HOUSES CONSISTED OF
ELABORATE PATTERNS CREATED WITH TILES IMPORTED FROM EUROPE
AND A FALSE CELLING INSTALLED OF WOOD.

• THE WALLS ARE PAINTED WITH BRIGHT COLORS CONTRASTING TO THE

EARTHY COLOURED FURNITURE.
• THE WALLS WERE MADE OUT OF MUD OR LATERITE STONE AND
COLOURED WITH VEGETABLE AND NATURAL DYED.
• GATEPOSTS AND COMPOUND WALLS WERE CARVED WITH GREAT
DETAIL.
• THE PORTUGUESE – CATHOLIC HOUSES FACED THE STREET WITH UNIQUE
LARGE ORNAMENTAL WINDOWS OPENING ONTO VERANDAS.
• BOLD COLOURS WERE PAINTED ON HOUSES CONSTRUCTING DISTINCT
IDENTITY, ALLOWING THE SAILORS TO RECOGNIZE THEIR HOUSES FROM
SEA.
• THE COVERED PORCHES AND VERANDAS WERE DESIGNED FOR
SOCIALIZING CONTRARY TO THE HINDU STYLED HOUSING.
• FRONT DOORS WERE LINED WITH COLUMNS, AND RAILINGS WERE
POPULAR IN EMBELLISHMENT.
THE BASSILICA OF BOM JESUS (GOOD
JESUS),OLD GOA
• THE FORMER CAPITAL DURING THE PORTUGUESE RULE. THE THREE STORIED
RENAISSANCE STYLED CHURCH WAS BUILT OF PLASTER AND LATERITE IN 1605.
• IT HOLDS THE MORTAL REMAINS OF ST.FRANCIS XAVIER.THE INTERIOR IS BUILT IN
A MOSAIC –CORINTHIAN STYLE AND ADORNED WITH WOOD AND GOLD LEAF.
• THE WALLS EMBRACE OLD PAINTINGS OF SAINTS AS THE FLOOR IS LAID WITH
PURE WHITE MARBLE.
SE CATHDRAL, VELHA GOA
• THE SE CATHEDRAL’S TOWER HOUSES A LARGE BELL KNOWN AS THE “GOLDEN BELL”
ON ACCOUNT OF ITS RICH TONE.
• THE MAIN ALTAR IS DEDICATED TO CATHRINE OF ALEXANDRIA , AND THERE ARE
SEVERAL OLD PAINTINGS ON EITHER SIDE OF IT.
• ON THE RIGHT THERE IS A CHAPEL OF THE CROSS OF MIRACLES, WHERE A VISION OF
CHRIST TO SAID TO HAVE APPEARED IN 1919.
• THERE ARE SIX PANELS, ON WHICH SCENES FROM THE LITTLE OF SAINT CATHERINE
ARE CARVED. THERE IS A HUGE GIDED REREDOS ABOVE THE ALTAR.
FRENCH 1673-1954
 French 1673-1954
• MANY STREETS RETAIN FRENCH NAMES, AND FRENCH – SYLE VILLAS ARE A
COMMON SIGHT. IN THE FRENCH QUARTER , THE BUILDINGS ATE TYPICALLY
COLONIAL STYLE WITH LONG COMPOUNDS AND STATLEY WALLS.
• THE INDIAN QUARTER CONSITS OF HOUSE LINED WITH VERENDAS AND WITH
LARGE DOORS AND GRILLS.
 18TH CENTURY TAMIL BUILDING: ANANDA
RANGAPILLAI MANSION
Ananda Ranga Pillai traded in cloth, yarn, indigo and
areca nut with Manila, Mocha and Mascareigne. He
had his own ship 'Anandappuravi' which sailed on
long trading voyages on high seas. Ananda Ranga
Pillai's house in Pondicherry, which is located in a
street named after him, was one of the few buildings
to survive the British invasion of the city in 1761. It
was recently recognized as a heritage monument by
the Government of Puducherry. The mansion is
known for its unique blend of Indian and French
architecture: the ground floor being built in Indian
fashion, while the columns which supported the
terrace followed the French architectural style.
 FRANCO- TAMIL HOUSES
• A MODERN INTERPRETATION OF A CLASSIC FRANCO-TAMIL STYLE HOUSE.
THE PILLARED WALKWAY IS A KEY DISTINGUISHER OF THIS STYLE. THE
STYLE OF BALCONIES ARE ONE WHICH YOU WILL SEE IN ABUNDANCE IN
PONDICHERRY AND HAS ALMOST BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH THE
STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE IN MOST FRANCO-TAMIL HOUSES. THIS IS A
GREAT EXAMPLE OF A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSE THAT IS SENSITIVE
TO THE TRADITIONAL STYLE.
• FRANCO–TAMIL HOUSES THEN, A CORRIDOR LEADS TO THE INTERIOR OR CENTRAL
COURTYARD, OPEN TO THE SKY, CALLED MUTRAM, LINED UP BY AN INNER VERANDA
WITH COUNTRY (CANAL) TILES OF BAKED EARTH OVER WOODEN COLUMNS.
BEYOND, ARE THE MORE PRIVATE SPACES LIKE SAMI ARAI (POOJA ROOM),
STOREROOM OR BEDROOM AND KITCHEN WHICH OPENS IN TO A REAR COURTYARD
THAT ENCLOSES A WELL, TOILET AND BATHROOM. IT IS BUILT ON RUBBLE
FOUNDATIONS, WITH WALLS OF FLAT BRICKS AND MADRAS TERRACE ROOFING.
BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEARTS JESUS ,
PONDICHERRY
• THIS 100 YEARS OLD HISTORICAL CHURCH IS 50 M LONG, 48 M WIDE
AND 18 M HIGH WITH LATIN RITE CROSS SHAPE IN AERIAL VIEW IS IN
GOTHIC STYLE. 24 MAIN COLUMNS HOLD THE STRUCTURE. THE BIBLICAL
VERSE FROM 2 CHRONICLES 7:16 IS WRITTEN ABOVE THE ENTRANCE
DOOR IN LATIN "SANCTIFICAVI LOCUM ISTUM, UT SIT NOMEN MEUM IBI"
WHICH MEANS "I HAVE CONSECRATED THIS HOUSE, THAT MY NAME MAY
BE THERE FOREVER. MY EYES AND MY HEART WILL BE THERE FOREVER.".
INSIDE THE CHURCH THERE ARE GLASS PICTURES OF 28 SAINTS WHO
WERE RELATED TO THE DEVOTION OF SACRED HEART OF JESUS.
• THIS 100-YEAR-OLD CHURCH HAS BEEN LED BY TWENTY PARISH PRIESTS.
THE GROTTO FOR OUR LADY OF LOURDES, PARISH HALL, ADORATION
CHAPEL AND THE NEW PARISH COMMUNITY HALL WERE SOME OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CHURCH SINCE THE 1960S. AFTER THE ARRIVAL
OF PARISH PRIEST THOMAS IN 2005 THE CHURCH WAS FULLY RENOVATED
INSIDE AND OUT.
• STATUES OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS WERE ERECTED, BENEATH WHICH THERE
ARE FOUR LAMP POSTS DESCRIBING THEIR LIVES AND THE INVITING JESUS
AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES ON THE FRONT FACADE. THE GROTTO FOR
SACRED HEART OF JESUS FACING THE CITY RAILWAY STATION WERE ADDED
AND THE CHURCH ILLUMINATED INSIDE AND OUT WITH CHANDELIERS, FOCUS
AND FLOOD LIGHTS.
DUTCH :1605-1825
 MATTANCHERRY PALACE
• THE PALACE WAS BUILT AND GIFTED BY THE PORTUGUESE AS A PRESENT
TO THE KING OF COCHIN AROUND 1555. THE DUTCH CARRIED OUT SOME
EXTENSIONS AND RENOVATIONS IN THE PALACE IN 1663, AND
THEREAFTER IT WAS POPULARLY CALLED DUTCH PALACE. THE RAJAS
ALSO MADE MORE IMPROVEMENTS TO IT. TODAY, IT IS A PORTRAIT
GALLERY OF THE COCHIN RAJAS AND NOTABLE FOR SOME OF THE BEST
MYTHOLOGICAL MURALS IN INDIA, WHICH ARE IN THE BEST TRADITIONS
OF HINDU TEMPLE ART. THE PALACE WAS BUILT TO APPEASE THE KING
AFTER THEY PLUNDERED A TEMPLE NEARBY.
• IN 1951, MATTANCHERRY PALACE WAS RESTORED AND DECLARED
A CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENT. THE PALACE IS ALREADY
UNDERGOING A SECOND RESTORATION BY THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SURVEY OF INDIA. THE RESTORATION WILL RAISE THE HISTORICAL
STRUCTURE TO A BUILDING AND A MUSEUM OF AN INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD, PRESERVING ITS ORIGINALITY, YET HIGHLIGHTING THE
IMPORTANT FACETS, THE PALACE IS AN ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE
SHOWCASING THE BLEND BETWEEN COLONIAL AND KERALA
ARCHITECTURE. THE RESTORATION AIMS AT SHOWCASING ITS TRUE
GRANDEUR. THE WORK WHICH STARTED IN 2007 WAS SCHEDULED TO BE
COMPLETED BY 2009
• THE MATTANCHERRY PALACE IS A PORTUGUESE PALACE POPULARLY KNOWN
AS THE DUTCH PALACE, IN MATTANCHERRY, KOCHI, IN
THE INDIAN STATE OF KERALA WHICH FEATURES KERALA MURALS DEPICTING
PORTRAITS AND EXHIBITS OF THE RAJAS OF KOCHI.
• BASTION BUNGALOW IS A FAMOUS TOURIST SITE IN THE CITY OF KOCHI,LOCATED
BASTION BUNGALOWS
NEAR VASCO DA GAMA SQUARE IN FORT KOCHI, INDIA. CURRENTLY, IT IS THE
OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF THE SUB-COLLECTOR. BASTION BUNGLOW IS AN
EXAMPLE OF INDO-EUROPEAN STYLE ARCHITECTURE MAINLY FOLLOWING THE
DUTCH STYLE.[1] BASTION BUNGALOW, IS A SEA-FACING DUTCH HERITAGE
STRUCTURE BUILT IN 1667. BASTIAN BUNGALOW HAD BEEN USED AS A
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING DURING THE BRITISH PERIOD. COLONEL MACAULAY, THE
RESIDENT OF COCHIN DURING THE EARLY DECADE OF THE 19TH CENTURY STAYED
IN THIS BUILDING.
• BASTION BUNGALOW •BASTION BUNGALOW OF KERALA IS A FAMOUS TOURIST
SITE IN THE FORT OF KOCHI. AT PRESENT THE BASTION BUNGALOW SERVES AS
THE OFFICIAL SEAT OF THE SUB-COLLECTOR. • THE STRUCTURE OF
THE BASTION BUNGALOW IS SPHERICAL IN TYPE AND HAS TILED ROOF. •THE
FIRST FLOOR VERANDAH GIVES A UNIQUE VIEW WITH A WOODEN PORTION IN THE
FRONT. •THE BASTION BUNGALOW OF THE FORT KOCHI WAS THE CAMP OFFICE
AND RESIDENCE OF RDO.
•  IN FORT KOCHI LIES THE HISTORIC BASTION BUNGALOW, ONCE A TOPIC OF
CONTENTION BETWEEN MANY OF THE IMPERIAL POWERS WHO STAKED THEIR
CLAIM OVER THE AREA. ORIGINALLY BUILT BY THE PORTUGUESE AS FORT
IMMANUEL IN THE 16TH CENTURY, THE DUTCH INVASION IN 1663 LED TO THE
 OLD HARBOUR HOTEL
• AT THE HEART OF ANCIENT FORT COCHIN, KERALA, A PLACE THAT EXUDES HISTORY
AND CULTURE, IS THE 'OLD HARBOUR HOTEL.' A 300 YEAR-OLD BUILDING THAT HAS
FOR LONG BEEN A HERITAGE MONUMENT OF THIS TOWN, NOW REOPENED AS A
BOUTIQUE HOTEL. BUILT IN THE DUTCH STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE WITH HINTS OF
PORTUGUESE INFLUENCES, IT WAS THE FIRST HOTEL OF OLD COCHIN. LATER IT
REMAINED A RESIDENTIAL HOME TO EMPLOYEES OF ENGLISH TEA BROKING FIRMS
UNTIL IT WAS LEFT UNUSED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
THANKYOU