Prinsep Ghat
প্রিন্সেপ ঘাট
A Palladian pavilion by the river, under the Vidyasagar Setu.
About Prinsep Ghat
The white pavilion with its Ionic columns was built in 1841 to honour James Prinsep, the scholar who deciphered the Brahmi script and so unlocked the edicts of Ashoka. It was once the landing place for dignitaries arriving by river. Lawns surround it, and a landscaped promenade runs north along the river towards Babughat. Country boats wait at the steps for short rows at dusk.
Why visit
The city’s favourite sunset: the pavilion, the cable-stayed bridge and the river in one frame.
What to see and do
- The Prinsep memorial pavilion
- Sunset under Vidyasagar Setu
- A country-boat ride from the steps
- The riverside walk to Babughat
Plan your visit
- Area
- Strand Road & the Ghats, Hooghly Riverfront & Howrah
- Nearest landmark
- Strand Road, at the foot of Vidyasagar Setu
- Best time
- Sunset or evening. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
- Time needed
- About 1½ hours
- Cost
- Free
- Entry
- Open to everyone: a street, ghat, market or park you can walk into.
- Metro
- Maidan or Rabindra Sadan (Blue Line), then a taxi
- Train
- Prinsep Ghat (Circular Railway), beside the monument
- Walking
- Some walking
- Accessibility
- The lawns and promenade are level and paved.
- Photography
- Good for photography.
- Food nearby
- Ice cream, bhel and tea stalls along the promenade.
Tip
Agree the boat fare and duration before you get in. Evenings are popular and can be crowded at weekends.
Nearby and related places
- Babughat: A colonnaded ghat of 1830, built by Rani Rashmoni in her husband’s memory.
- Victoria Memorial: The white-marble memorial museum and its gardens.
- The Maidan: The great open ground at the centre of the city.
- Howrah Bridge: The cantilever bridge that is the city’s emblem.
- Hooghly Ferry Crossing: The commuter ferry between Howrah station and the city’s ghats.
- Armenian Ghat: A ghat built by an Armenian merchant in 1734.
Walks that include it
- Riverfront Trail: Prinsep Ghat to Howrah Bridge along the Hooghly
More guides
- Places in Strand Road & the Ghats
- Heritage places in Kolkata
- Ghats on the Hooghly
- Free places to visit in Kolkata
- Family-friendly places
- Places to photograph in Kolkata
- Parks, lakes and green spaces
- Places for sunset
- Places near a metro station
- All places to visit in Kolkata
Last checked on 2026-10-02. Each place was checked to exist and its position confirmed. Timings, closing days and ticket prices are shown only where known and can change: confirm before you travel.