View of Gateway of India’s Apollo Bunder Bombay, 1890 Photo
A view of the Gateway of India’s Apollo Bunder in Bombay is shown in this old 1890 photo. Apollo Bunder – it was where the Gateway of India came up. It was built to commemorate King George V and Queen Mary’s arrival in 1911. The royal couple landed at Apollo Bunder, which was a pier for passengers arriving by steamships at that time.
The foundation stone was laid by the then Governor of Bombay, Sir George Sydenham Clarke, in 1913. The work began after the government approved the final design of the architect, George Wittet. In 1914, the reclamation work to enlarge the Apollo Bunder began, including the construction of its sea walls.
The foundation was completed in 1920, and the monument itself was completed in 1924. The pier or quay (a protruding piece of land) was also a fishing boat landing area. This is noticeable in the photo by the number of fishing boats anchored by the quay. Both the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Royal Bombay Yacht Club (not pictured here) lie opposite the monument.
Did you know – the Scottish architect, George Wittet, combined indigenous architectural elements with elements of the 16th-century architecture of Gujarat.
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Portrait Photo – Old Postcard 1904., Cochin & Kerala Backwaters – 6 Old Postcards 1900., The Cave of Elephanta Bombay, 1832 Old Print., Old Map of Madras Harbour In British Era 1884.
