St John’s Church
সেন্ট জনস চার্চ
Also known as Pathure Girja.
A 1787 church whose garden holds the tomb of Job Charnock.
About St John’s Church
St John’s was built in 1787 on land given by Maharaja Nabakrishna Deb and served as the Anglican cathedral until St Paul’s was finished. It was built of stone, rare in Calcutta, so people called it Pathure Girja, the stone church. In its garden are the octagonal mausoleum of Job Charnock, the Company agent long called the founder of Calcutta, the Black Hole memorial, and the tomb of Admiral Watson. Inside hangs Johann Zoffany’s painting of the Last Supper.
Why visit
The earliest chapter of English Calcutta in one walled garden.
What to see and do
- Job Charnock’s mausoleum
- Zoffany’s Last Supper
- The Black Hole memorial and old tombs
- Warren Hastings’ office room in the vestry
Plan your visit
- Area
- BBD Bagh (Dalhousie), Central Kolkata
- Nearest landmark
- Council House Street, south-west of BBD Bagh
- Best time
- Morning or afternoon. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes
- Cost
- Usually under ₹100 a head
- Entry
- Open to the public with a ticket. Open to visitors for a small fee. Hours and the fee are not currently verified.
- Metro
- Mahakaran (Green Line) or Esplanade
- Walking
- Little walking
- Photography
- Good for photography.
Tip
A small entry fee is charged at the gate.
Nearby and related places
- BBD Bagh & Lal Dighi: The tank and square at the centre of the colonial capital.
- General Post Office: A domed post office on the site of the first Fort William.
- Metcalfe Hall: A colonnaded hall of the 1840s facing the river.
- St Andrew’s Church: The 1818 Scottish church with a tall white spire.
- Old Mission Church: The oldest Protestant church in the city, founded in 1770.
- Currency Building: An Italianate banking hall of 1833, rescued from demolition.
Walks that include it
- Colonial Kolkata Walk: Dalhousie Square, the capital of British India
More guides
- Places in BBD Bagh (Dalhousie)
- Heritage places in Kolkata
- Places of worship to visit
- Hidden gems of Kolkata
- 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.