View of Flora Fountain From Esplanade Road Bombay, 2 Photos 1895
Two 1890s photos of the Flora Fountain, Esplanade Road & Trams in Bombay (Mumbai). Also known as Rampart Row during the British era. This picturesque view captures Flora Fountain and Esplanade Road as seen from the once-famous Watson’s Hotel. Two horse-drawn trams can be seen traveling in opposite directions along Esplanade Road (now Mahatma Gandhi Road).
The imposing structure seen in the distance is the Oriental Building. At the junction of Flora Fountain, the Esplanade Road splits into two distinct thoroughfares—one continues as Mahatma Gandhi Road, while the other becomes Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji Road (formerly Hornby Road). The latter leads directly towards the iconic Victoria Terminus.
The area is lined with colonial-era buildings on either side. In the far distance, the faint outlines of the Bombay Secretariat and the High Court towers can be seen. The newly reclaimed Bombay was transformed into a European-style city largely due to the efforts of Sir Bartle Frere. He served as the British Governor of Bombay from 1862 to 1867.
Did you know – today, Rampart’s Row is preserved as a historical area, and many of the heritage buildings are remodeled into art galleries, boutiques, cafes, and cultural spaces.
Pasts posts – Oil Painting of Bunch of Roses British India, 1940., Kaisarbagh Palace Lucknow – Old Postcard 1897., Eden Garden & Harbour In Kolkata – Old Print 1905., Opening Of The Madras Railway – Old Print 1856.
