| General Post Office, Kolkata | |
|---|---|
 The GPO building in December 2011 | |
 Interactive map of General Post Office, Kolkata | |
| General information | |
| Location | Kolkata, India |
| Coordinates | 22°34′23.01″N88°20′44.09″E / 22.5730583°N 88.3455806°E /22.5730583; 88.3455806 |
| Construction started | 1864 |
| Completed | 1868 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Walter B. Grenville |
| Website | |
| westbengalpost.gov.in | |
TheGeneral Post Office, Kolkata is the central post office of the city ofKolkata,India, and the biggest post office ofWest Bengal. This post office was the first post office of India since 1727. The post office handles most of the city's inbound and outbound mail and parcels. Situated in theB. B. D. Bagh area, the imposing structure of the GPO is one of the landmarks in the city.[1]
Kolkata GPO is one of the five Philatelic Bureaus in the country (others beingMumbai GPO,Chennai GPO, Parliament Street, andNew Delhi GPO) that are authorised to sell theUnited Nations stamps.[2]
The site where the GPO is located was actually the site of the firstFort William. An alley beside the post office was the site of the guardhouse that housed the infamous 1756Black Hole of Calcutta (1756). The General Post Office was designed in 1864 by Walter B. Grenville (1819-1874), who acted as consulting architect to the government of India from 1863 to 1868. The staircase at the eastern side of the GPO features a brass plate, which marks the eastern end of the Old Fort William. This is probably the only remaining of the ancient fort of Calcutta. Recently a marble plaque has been installed on the Eastern walls of GPO, which highlight the Brass Plate. To the north of the GPO is the Kolkata Collectorate, which was once the office of the regional ‘Collector’, a designation invented by theBritish Government after 1857 to replace the traditional Zamindars.[3]
The GPO is notable for its imposing high domed roof (rising over 220 feet) and tallIonic-Corinthian pillars. A postal museum that was built in 1884 displays a collection of artefacts andstamps. ThePhilatelic Bureau is located on the southwestern end of the building.[4][5]
In June 2022, Kolkata GPO became the first Indian post office to host an in‑house café. "Parcel Café" (branded Shiuli) occupies the east wing lounge, serving light refreshments amid colonial décor[6][7]
It is located onNetaji Subhas Road inB. B. D. Bagh area of Kolkata. The location is near the BBD Bagh Railway Station.[8]
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