Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) at Mumbai is one of the prominent landmarks in the city. This historic railway station serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways. I had visited the place when I was in Mumbai for work and it was a public holiday in the middle of the week. I reached the place by local train and went around the station.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is based on architecture that is a mix of traditional Indian and Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival. This building designed by Frederick William Stevens and its construction in the Bori Bunder area of Mumbai was completed in 1887. The main structure is built from a blend of India sandstone and limestone, while high-quality Italian marble was used for the key decorative elements. 

The skyline, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture while externally the wood carving, tiles, the balustrades for the grand staircases and other ornaments are in Victorian style.

One of the important architectural marvel is its high central dome. The octagonal dome is a ribbed structure built without centering, was considered as a novel achievement of the era. At the top of the dome is a female figure symbolizing Progress, holding a torch pointing upwards in her right hand and a spoked wheel in her left hand. 

The side wings enclose the courtyard, which opens on to the street. The wings are anchored by monumental turrets at each of their four corners, which balance and frame the central dome. The columns of the entrance gates are crowned by figures of a lion  and a tiger. 

The entire building has eye catching carvings of local species of animals, flora and fauna, portrait roundels of human faces, and stone mesh works on the decorated rose windows. The elaborate detailing of the heritage building is original. It has carvings made in local yellow malad stones blended with Italian marble and polished granite in a few places.