Alipore
আলিপুর
Gardens, a library and a jail turned museum
The greenest corner of the city, laid out as a suburb for British officials. Belvedere House became the National Library, the zoo opened in 1875, and the old Alipore jail, where freedom fighters were held, is now a museum.
Did you know
- The National Library is the largest library in India by volume and public record.
A short walk to try
Visit the zoo in the morning, cross to the National Library grounds, and end at the jail museum or the horticultural gardens.
Getting there
- Metro
- Jatin Das Park or Kalighat (Blue Line), then a short ride
Places to visit in Alipore
- Alipore Zoological Garden: India’s oldest formally established zoo, opened in 1875.
- National Library of India: The country’s largest library, in the grounds of Belvedere House.
- Alipore Jail Museum: The old central jail, where freedom fighters were held, turned into a museum.
- Agri-Horticultural Society Gardens: A walled garden founded by William Carey’s society, known for winter flower shows.