Visakhapatnam, a city rich in history and culture, is home to numerous architectural gems that once stood as symbols of grandeur. Many of these structures, though now fading from public memory, have fascinating stories tied to the city’s past. Let’s take a moment to rediscover some of these forgotten historical sites that shaped the Visakhapatnam of yesteryears.
1. Kurupam Market Arch Tower
Constructed in 1914, the Market was a gift from Kurupam Raja to the Visakhapatnam Municipality to commemorate the coronation of Kind Edward VII and was meant for the local traders.
While being over a century old, the Kurupam Market Tower and Arch near the Old Town were demolished in 2013 by GVMC. Even though a replica was promised at that place, due to public outrage, no measures were taken to produce it. Today, only a small portion of the tower stands in the same place.
2. Hindu Reading Room
Inaugurated in 1916 by the Governor of Madras, the Hindu reading room was a famous place during its heyday. It welcomed famous people like Tenneti Viswanadham, Arudhra and Gollapudi Maruthi Rao. This two-storey building has little to no visitors now and is closed most of the time. This place is right next to the famous Kanaka Maha Lakshmi temple.
3. Vizag Taj Mahal
As the name suggests, there is a love story behind this architectural marvel. This masterpiece was made in memory of the young Rani of Kurupam, who died in June 1901. Her husband Rajah Vairicherla Veerabhadhra was an aristocrat who served the Zamindar of Kurupam from 1891. The erection was completed in 1905. Just like the Taj Mahal, this place stands as a symbol of love and devotion.
4. Town Hall
A Town hall was constructed in the Visakhapatnam Port area by Rajah of Bobbli in 1893 to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. It was given to the local municipality in 1904. This structure has perfect symmetry, with wooden floors and stone towers on each side of the building.
5. Queen Mary’s Girls High School
Though the exact date of construction is not known, this school is considered 250 years old. The building has canons on each side of its entrance. It was used as a Collector’s Office, and later as an arsenal to store guns. This school started functioning mainly to help widows and dropouts, making it one of the gems in the historical records of Visakhapatnam. Even though this school has several new buildings now, a corner of this school, which is not being used due to being in bad condition, has an old wooden staircase, that still whispers stories of its glory.
Let us know what are some historical sites in Visakhapatnam that we have missed!
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