A guided Visakhapatnam Heritage Walk of architectural gems

Imagine yourself in an elaborate evening dress, dancing with the who’s who of the city on the wooden floor to a live band. Imagine living in a huge house with high ceilings, imagine walking on clean sands with the blue sea at one end and stretches of green on the other. Imagine friendship with the same people you would later revolt against. Vizag’s heritage is a treasure chest of wonderful stories with One Town area being the focal point in the late 1800’s. This is where stories from the past can come alive when heard on an evening walk in what was once known as Soldierpeta. Relive the experience with Jaya Siva Murty who recently went along with Jayshree Hatangadi, a Heritage Narrator on a heritage walk & rick-ride through those parts of Visakhapatnam you never knew existed.

Stop #1

Town hall

When: 1904

Spread over 5000 sq yards, the Town hall was a prestigious place to be during the 1900s. With the sea visible at one end and the town on the other, it was a gift from the Maharaja of Bobbili to the public. The ‘Victoria Diamond Jubilee Town Hall’ commemorates the British Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Showcasing Victorian architecture, this two-storied building, is an impressive example of stone masonry, has a grand portico, large stair-cases, a huge tiled roof, false turrets and circular rooms. Not to be missed are its tiles from Mangalore, beams from Scotland and the grand wooden flooring.

Fact file: Used for formal dance parties when the British and Indians were friends, it was this hall that later became the centre for salt satyagraha and other campaigns of the freedom movement as well.

Stop #2

Town Hall lane

When: 1900s

Right across the town hall, are the once-broad lanes that used to be the pride of the city. With the elite of the city residing here, it boasted huge houses, with grand stone exteriors and some with a well within the home! Where congested housing exists today, lived the Vizag’s rich and famous.

With the high-ceilinged spacious homes having great ventilation systems, they also were examples of amazing stone masonry. Ample space was provided between houses that existed along well-planned streets which would run at right angles to each other. The area also had huge drains that were regularly cleaned and maintained.

Fact file: Only a few such kinds of homes remain today, as compared to previous years.

Stop #3

Kurupam Market

When: 1914

Also known as King Edward VII Coronation Market, this was the very first market of erstwhile Vizagapatam. Records state that this market was a gift to the city by the Rajah of Kurupam, on the occasion of King Edward VII coronation, which took place in 1902. History tells us that this Kurupam market area was home to the weavers’ colony. Suited to the traditional style of local markets, it had a huge central courtyard with shops all around it. With four gateways at the center of each side, the most elaborate of them was the Eastern gateway which had a clock mechanism on its top as well. While the market lost its importance owing to modernization, a few petty traders still operate from here.

Fact file: This beautiful edifice no longer exists it was brought down in November 2013…reasons not truthfully shared by the concerned administration

Stop #4

European cemetery

When: begins in 1699

The dead tell stories, and the European cemetery is living proof of the history our city holds. With tombs in varied architectural styles, each is engraved with a part of history, with the earliest of the buried dating back to 1699. Patrick Lawson, a wealthy merchant sailor, after whom Lawson’s Bay is named lies here too.

Often mistakenly known as the Dutch cemetery, the region has no Dutch tombs and stands testimony to two major historical events. The first was the native sepoy mutiny of 1780, where three British officers were killed, and the body of one of them lies here. The second is the Naval war of 1804, between the British and the French where the British were able to defend Vizagapatam successfully, but lost John Dykes, who lies buried here.

Fact file: The gravestones indicate that the dead were buried here from 1699 to 1833.

Stop #5

Queen Victoria’s pavilion

When: May 4, 1904

The story goes that in 1900, Sri Akitam Venkata Jagga Row, a zamindar went to England to pay respects to Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. He was presented with a bronze statue of the queen, which was then shipped to Visakhapatnam and finally erected at the Queen Victoria’s pavilion in 1904. With her features and finest detail etched with care, it is also said that the queen never portrayed a glamorous version of herself and that each statue was a replica of what she was wearing on that particular occasion. The cuboid pavilion that houses the statue showcases fine ashlar stone masonry and has the queen facing towards the One Town area.

Fact file: The Greek cross over the dome enhances its architectural value.

Stop #6 St. John’s Church

When: 1844

The third oldest church of Visakhapatnam, St. John holds a special place in the city’s history for varied reasons. For one, it was the first church to be built by the East India Company using its funds. Designed and supervised by Sir Arthur Cotton, it boasts of teak wood from Burma and glass paintings from Europe. Finally, it has the ancient pipe organ that is still functional. While numerous dedications on marble, granite and metal adorn the walls of the church, what takes your breath away is the typical Anglican dome, huge round pillars and cobble-stoned porch.

Fact file: While few alterations have been carried out over the years, the central part of the structure remains the same.

Stop #7

Queen Mary’s School Building

When: About 200 years ago

A school building with canons on either side of its entrance! The Queen Mary School has a rich history dating back to 200 years ago. From 1873 onwards, it served as the Collector’s office and became a school as it appears now, only in 1952. However before it became the collector’s office, it was also used as an arsenal for storing guns, and hence the canons at its entrance. In 1913, the building started functioning as a school uniquely for widows who were dropouts. To encourage them to study, they were paid a stipend of Rs. 15/- per month.

Fact file: While there is no written proof, legend goes that this building also served as a jail and the gallows were used for executing prisoners.

Let the Visakhapatnam Heritage Walk guide you on a journey of discovery, where history whispers, architecture sings, and the magic of the city unfolds in every stride.

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