Maidan & Chowringhee
ময়দান ও চৌরঙ্গী
The city’s open ground
A huge open green in the middle of the city, shared by football clubs, cricketers, horses, morning walkers and political rallies. Around its edges are the Victoria Memorial, St Paul’s Cathedral, the planetarium and the cluster of halls and galleries where the city goes for theatre, cinema and art.
Did you know
- The city’s three great football clubs all have their grounds on the Maidan.
- Fort William, in the middle of the Maidan, is an army establishment and is not open to visitors.
A short walk to try
From Maidan metro walk to the Victoria Memorial gardens, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Academy of Fine Arts and Nandan.
Getting there
- Metro
- Maidan or Rabindra Sadan (Blue Line)
Places to visit in Maidan & Chowringhee
- Victoria Memorial: The white-marble memorial museum and its gardens.
- St Paul’s Cathedral: The Gothic Revival cathedral beside the Maidan, consecrated in 1847.
- Birla Planetarium: A domed planetarium of 1963, modelled on the Sanchi stupa.
- Academy of Fine Arts: Galleries and the stage that is the home of Bengali group theatre.
- Nandan & Rabindra Sadan: The state film centre and concert hall, heart of the city’s cultural evening.
- The Maidan: The great open ground at the centre of the city.
- Maidan Football Grounds: The club grounds where Indian football grew up.
- Eden Gardens: The cricket ground, and the old garden with a Burmese pagoda beside it.
- Nehru Children’s Museum: The Ramayana and Mahabharata told in miniature clay models.