Marble Palace, Kolkata

Marble Palace is one of the more unusual places to visit in Kolkata, a private 1835 mansion full of European art and statues. This guide covers visiting rules and timings.

Marble Palace is a nineteenth-century mansion at 46 Muktaram Babu Street in north Kolkata. According to Wikipedia it was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali merchant who collected art, and it takes its name from its marble walls, floors and sculptures.

The house holds Western sculptures, Victorian furniture, chandeliers, clocks, mirrors, urns and busts, and paintings by European and Indian artists; the article lists two paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and works attributed to Reynolds, Titian and Murillo, and adds that some critics find the collection eclectic. It remains a private residence of the founder's descendants, so visits are by guided tour, and the inhabited parts are closed to visitors.

The same page says entry is free, no permit is required now, and the palace is open 10am to 4pm except Mondays and Thursdays, and that photography is prohibited. Other websites say a permit from the West Bengal Tourism Information Bureau was once required, so confirm before travelling. The palace is near Jorasanko Thakur Bari and Girish Park, so the two can be combined on a north Kolkata walk through the old city.

Allow time for the guided tour and leave bags and cameras as instructed.