General Post Office, Kolkata

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.

History

The site where the GPO is located was actually the site of the first 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.

Building

The GPO is notable for its imposing high domed roof (rising over 220 feet) and tall Ionic-Corinthian pillars. A Postal Museum that was built in 1884 displays a collection of artefacts and stamps. The Philatelic Bureau is located on the southwestern end of the building.

Location

It is located on Netaji Subhas Road in B. B. D. Bagh area of Kolkata.

Picture Gallery

• 
  General Post Office
• 
  The General Post Office, c. 1905
• 
  Old picture of GPO with some ongoing restoration work
• 
  Dalhousie Square, Calcutta in 1910 with GPO in the background

See also

• Indian Postal Service

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to General Post Office, Kolkata.

• Postage stamp on GPO