In the heart of the city stretches the Maidan, acres of grass-covered fields fringed with shady mangroves, covering an area of almost four square kilometres. Almost the entire western boundary ends at the banks of river Hooghly where the Fort William, which is as old as the city itself still stands secluded from the rest of the urban landscape. The impressive Victoria Memorial, the recent Birla Planetarium and imposing St. Paul's Cathedral along with the Race Course are situated in the southern end of the Maidan. In the north is the Esplanade where the Shahid Minar (previously known as the Ochterlony Column), a tower dedicated to the martyrs of the national struggle for independence, is the most prominent landmark.
Often referred to as the "lungs of the city", this green belt has been often been encroached upon by various parties and as a result, suffers a lot of environmental setback continuously. Although new constructions are prohibited in this area, a number of old clubhouses occupy a considerable area in their effort to reserve more ground space for their sporting activities. But more serious is the problem of garbage accumulating on the grounds as a result of human activity. Whether they come to watch a game of football, attend a public rally or just spend time loitering across the green fields, people seem to treat the entire stretch of the ground as one big garbage dump. By evening on an average Sunday, the Maidan is almost fully covered with assorted litter of all sorts: bits and pieces of paper packets, plastic cups, cigarette ends, wasted snacks, tidbits and so on.
ParksEden Gardens Maidan
Heritage TourAcademic Buildings Administrative and Judicial Buildings Bridges Meeting Places and Old Neighbourhoods Museums and Monuments Religious Buildings Residential Houses Sports Arena and Clubs