Amazing Facts about Fort William - "A symbol of Kolkata's military might"
Fort Willam Kolkata is a heritage site famous among people. Civilians are not allowed inside the fort. This fort comprises 70.9 hectares of land. Maidan, the largest park in India, is situated opposite this fort. The Fort is an irregular octagonal building—three sides of the irregular octagon face toward the Hooghly River. There is a dry mort(deep and broad trench surrounding a castle) surrounding this heritage building of Kolkata. This place consists of multiple golf courts over a vast area.
The History of Fort William
There are two Fort Williams in Kolkata. Under Sir John Goldsborough's command, it was first inaugurated in 1696. According to Sir Charles Eyre's instructions, the construction began near the southeast side of the Hooghly River. The name of King William III inspired the name of this fort in 1700. Then in 1701, Sir Eyre's inheritor John Beard started construction in the center of the fort. It took years to complete the construction. Then the new building became the government house of the fort.
In 1706 the government house construction was finally over. In 1756 the fort faced an attack by Nawab Siraj Ud Daulah, that time, Nawab of Bengal. After conquering this land, Siraj named it Alinagar. After this, in 1781, the British constructed Fort William under the command of Robert Clive for the second time. This time near Maidan, with an approximate cost of two million pounds. Today the property belongs to the Indian Army, and around 10,000 army personnel can accommodate the fort. Most parts of this fort are unruffled except St Peter's church which is now a library.
Ideal Time to Visit​
All Season
Ideal Duration​
1-2 Hours
How to Reach
By Road: There are numerous transportation options, including both public and private transportation.
By Train: Nearest Railway Station is Sealdah.
By Air: Nearest Airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
Distance from Nearest Railway Station / Airport
5.5 Km from Sealdah Railway Station and 24.3 Km from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
