5/5 Mantosh S. 6 months ago on Google
Chhatrapati
Shivaji
Terminus
(CSMT)
is
popular
railway
station
and
is
a
spitting
image
of
Victorian-Gothic
style
of
architecture
in
India.
Located
in
the
heart
of
Mumbai,
the
CST
is
also
a
'World
Heritage
Site'
declared
by
UNESCO
in
2004.
Built
in
1888,
the
station
is
the
grand
reminder
of
the
British
Raj
pre-independence
and
is
still
one
of
the
most
historical
landmarks
within
the
Central
Business
District
(CBD)
of
Mumbai.
A
bustling
terminus,
the
CST
is
well-connected
by
rail
to
all
parts
of
the
country.
It
stands
as
the
final
result
of
great
industrial
revolution
technology,
merged
with
Victorian/Gothic
revival
styles
based
on
late-Italian
model
architecture.
The
structure
represents
the
heart
of
the
mercantile
facet
of
the
city
and
also
symbolizes
the
British
Commonwealth.
Apart
from
being
Victorian-Gothic
in
architecture,
parts
of
this
grand
edifice
also
contain
remnants
of
Mughal
styled
architecture.
An
outstanding
example
of
the
late
19th
century
designs,
the
CST
is
associated
with
the
city
of
Mumbai
since
time
immemorial.
The
city
flourished,
businesses
boomed
and
a
thriving
film
industry
grew,
with
the
Chhatrapati
Shivaji
Terminus
being
the
core
witness
to
it
all.
Scroll
down
to
know
more
about
this
treasured
structure.
The
Chhatrapati
Shivaji
station,
formerly
known
as
Victoria
Terminus,
was
built
in
1888.
Designed
by
the
British
architect
F.W.
Stevens,
the
structure
became
a
symbol
of
Bombay
(Mumbai)
and
the
city
was
labeled
the
'Gothic
City'
due
to
this
magnificent
building's
architectural
styles.
Apart
from
being
the
hub
for
major
mercantile
activities,
the
CST
is
the
perfect
amalgam
of
British
and
Indian
designs.
In
the
past,
'Bori
Bandar'
station,
located
along
the
Eastern
parts
of
Mumbai,
was
the
place
for
commercial
exchanges
and
trading
activities.
In
the
1850's,
the
Great
Indian
Peninsular
Railway
operated
in
this
area
and
gave
it
the
name
'Bori
Bandar',
starting
its
first
rail
service,
covering
a
total
distance
of
34
km
to
Thane.During
the
British
rule,
the
station
was
eventually
redesigned
and
rebuilt
by
F.W.
Stevens,
who
named
it
as
Victoria
Terminus.
The
station
got
its
name
from
the
then
reigning
royal,
Queen
Victoria.
The
construction
of
the
station
took
10
years
to
complete
and
was
opened
to
the
Queen
on
the
date
of
her
Golden
Jubilee
in
1887.
At
the
time,
the
building
was
the
most
expensive
structure
in
Mumbai
costing
260,000
Sterling
Pounds.
The
station
was
built
to
handle
main
rail
traffic
and
in
1929,
a
new
station
and
an
administrative
headquarters
were
built
by
the
Central
Railway.
In
1996,
the
Minister
of
Railways,
Suresh
Kalmadi,
changed
the
name
of
the
station
to
Chhatrapati
Shivaji
Terminus
(CST).The
main
architecture
of
the
building
reflects
the
Victorian
Gothic
styles
and
designs
of
the
late
19th
century.
The
style
and
the
ornamentation
of
the
edifice
were
acceptable
to
both
Indian
and
European
culture.
Complete
with
turrets,
pointed
arches
and
an
eccentric
ground
plan,
the
CST
was
a
novel
achievement
during
that
period.
To
date,
the
building
retains
most
of
the
architectural
designs
with
probably,
an
addition
of
two
or
more
headquarters.
The
CST
was
built
in
accordance
to
a
C-shaped
plan,
symmetrical
on
both,
the
east
and
the
west
axis.
Crowned
by
a
high
dome,
which
is
the
focal
point
of
the
structure,
the
CST
building
is
adjoined
with
well-proportioned
rows
of
arched
structures,
rows
and
windows,
closely
resembling
Indian
palace
architectures.The
entrance
of
the
Chhatrapati
Shivaji
terminus
is
flanked
by
figures
of
a
lion
and
a
tiger
representing
the
two
countries-great
Britain
and
India.
The
main
structure
is
made
of
sandstone
and
limestone,
and
the
interiors
of
the
station
are
lined
with
high-quality
Italian
marble.
Apart
from
the
18
railway
lines,
the
CST
also
houses
the
main
headquarters,
the
Star
Chamber,
grotesques
and
the
North
Wing.
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