Did you know that Kolkata – or Calcutta as it was called back then – was the capital city of India from 1858 to 1911 under British rule? Now the capital of the state of West Bengal, the city and its people are proud of the culture, the heritage and the history that reside here. Famous for vigorous festival celebrations, football, food, sweets and its education, this great city of Bengal has become a vital metropolitan of India.

Here are 16 then and now photographs of the City Of Joy:

1. Victoria Memorial

Source: youthkiawaaz
Source: itimes

2. Howrah Bridge

Source: wikipedia
Source: imgkid

3. The Great Banyan Tree at Botanical Garden

Source: oldindianphotos
Source: wikimedia

4. The Marble Palace

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Source: stylesatlife

5. The Park Street

Source: Wikipedia
Source: deccanchronicle

6. Fort William

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Source: kolkatabest

7. Zoological Gardens

Source: blogspot
Source: wikimedia

8. China Town, Tangra

Source: bbc
Source: thelittleindia

9. Imperial Museum (Now called Indian Museum)

Source: blogspot
Source: WordPress

10. St. Paul’s Cathedral

Source: wikimedia
Source: wikipedia

11. The Kalighat Kali Temple

Source: blogspot
Source: avramitra

12. Town Hall

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Source: tourmet

13. Espalande

Source: indianmike
Source: WordPress

14. Writer’s Building

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Source: pwdwb

15. The Maidan

oldindianphtos

Source: flickr

16. Howrah Station

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Source: vsdh

“So in the streets of Calcutta, I sometimes imagine myself a foreigner, and only then do I discover how much is to be seen, which is lost so long as its full value in attention is not paid. It is the hunger to really see which drives people to travel to strange places.”

-Rabindranath Tagore