https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=95.24.13.100Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]2026-08-06T08:27:43ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=General_Post_Office,_Kolkata&diff=59027General Post Office, Kolkata2021-03-14T11:21:32Z<p>95.24.13.100: /* Gallery */</p>
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<div>{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}<br />
{{unreferenced|date=March 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox building<br />
| name = General Post Office, Kolkata <br />
| image = File:General Post Office, Kolkata.jpg<br />
| image_size = 220px<br />
| image_alt = <br />
| image_caption = GPO, Kolkata<br />
| location = <br />
| address = <br />
| location_city = [[Kolkata]]<br />
| location_country = India<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|22|34|23.01|N|88|20|44.09|E|display=title}}<br />
| architect = Walter B. Grenville<br />
|client=<br />
|engineer=<br />
|construction_start_date= 1864<br />
| completion_date = 1868<br />
|date_demolished=<br />
|cost=<br />
|structural_system=<br />
|style=<br />
| url = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --><br />
}}<br />
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The '''General Post Office, Kolkata''' is the central post office of the city of [[Kolkata]], [[India]], and the chief post office of [[West Bengal]]. The post office handles most of the city's inbound and outbound mail and parcels. Situated in the [[B.B.D. Bagh]] area, the imposing structure of the GPO is one of the landmarks in the city.<br />
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Kolkata GPO is one of the five Philatelic Bureaus in the country (others being [[Mumbai GPO]], [[Chennai GPO]], Parliament Street, and [[New Delhi GPO]]) that are authorised to sell the [[United Nations]] stamps.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}<br />
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==History==<br />
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[[File:The General Post Office.jpg|thumb|General Post Office, Calcutta (1905)]]<br />
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The site where the GPO is located was actually the site of the first [[Fort William, India|Fort William]]. An alley beside the post office was the site of the guardhouse that housed the infamous 1756 [[Black Hole of Calcutta]] (1756). The General Post Office was designed in 1864 by Walter B. Grenville (1819-1874), who acted as consulting architect to the government of India from 1863 to 1868.<br />
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[[File:DalhousieSqCalcutta 1910.jpg|thumb|[[Dalhousie Square]], Calcutta in 1910 with GPO in the background]]<br />
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The staircase at the eastern side of the GPO features a brass plate, which marks the eastern end of the Old Fort William. This is probably the only remaining of the ancient fort of Calcutta. Recently a marble plaque has been installed on the Eastern walls of GPO, which highlight the Brass Plate.<br />
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To the north of the GPO is the Kolkata Collectorate, which was once the office of the regional ‘Collector’, a designation invented by the British Government after 1857 to replace the traditional Zamindars.<br />
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==Building==<br />
The GPO is notable for its imposing high domed roof (rising over 220 feet) and tall [[Ionic order|Ionic]]-[[Corinthian order|Corinthian]] pillars. A postal museum that was built in 1884 displays a collection of artefacts and [[Postage stamp|stamps]]. The [[Philatelic]] Bureau is located on the southwestern end of the building.<br />
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==Location==<br />
It is located on [[Netaji Subhas Road, Kolkata|Netaji Subhas Road]] in [[B. B. D. Bagh]] area of Kolkata.<br />
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==Gallery==<br />
<gallery><br />
File:KolkataGPO1.JPG|Kolkata GPO with some ongoing restoration work<br />
File:Calcutta GPO.JPG|Kolkata GPO Dusk View<br />
File:Lal Dighi (Red Pool), Tank Square, Kolkata, India.jpg|Remote view from Lal Dighi<br />
File:KOLKATA G.P.O.jpg|Kolkata GPO Night View<br />
</gallery><br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Indian Postal Service]]<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{commonscat}}<br />
*[http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Paper/Unwatermarked%20paper%20with%20all%20over%20'Asoka%20Pillar'./CALCUTTA%20G.P.O Postage stamp on GPO]<br />
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{{Postal administrations of Asia}}<br />
{{Kolkata topics}}<br />
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[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Post office buildings in India|K ]]<br />
[[Category:Government buildings in West Bengal]]<br />
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