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West Central Bangalore covers the city's historic core Pete, as well as the western fringes of the British-built Cantonment, Bangalore's modern city centre. Bangalore Pete consists of the original mud fort and the surrounding quarters, whereas the Cantonment was a British enclave within the Mysore State.
Get in
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Map of West Central Bangalore
By metro
[edit | edit source]The Purple Line Purple serves the entire Central Bangalore east-west, from Mahatma Gandhi Road to KSR station. The Green Line Green runs across the district north-south, serving Majestic, Chickpet and KR Market. Majestic is the interchange of Purple and Green lines.
See
[edit | edit source]Cubbon Park area
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- 1 Attara Kacheri, Dr Ambedkar Rd (metro: Vidhana Soudha Purple ). A two-storey neoclassical red-painted stone and brick building, hosting the High Court of Karnataka. It was a secretariat of eighteen departments, built under the reign of king Devaraja Wadiyar II in 1701. The main structure of the building is surrounded on all sides by porticoes and verandahs. The entire building is surfaced with plaster and painted with red ochre. It houses a law museum the houses an original print of the Constitution of India, articles and documents related to the legal profession, seals, insignia and books. It also showcases the history of the Karnataka High Court and the development of courts over the ages.
- 2 General Post Office. Its first floor contains a philatelic museum.
- 3 Government Aquarium (at the entrance of Cubbon Park, close to VITM). 10AM-5:30PM. The second largest aquarium in India. It has a variety of exotic cultivable as well as marine fishes on display, including include eels, angelfish, glowlight tetra, hockey stick tetra, red-tail shark, catla, Indian tiger barb, mahseer, freshwater prawns, blue gourami, pearl gourami, goldfish, moon tail etc. ₹150 per head for adults, ₹5 per head for students upto 10th standard, free for children below 5.
- 4 Government Museum, Kasturba Rd (metro: Cubbon Park Purple ). Established in 1865, the museum is flanked by the Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum and the Venkatappa Art Gallery. It is an archaeological museum with a rare collection of archaeological and geological artefacts, including old jewellery, sculpture, coins and inscriptions. The museum is also home to the Halmidi inscription, the earliest writing in Kannada (450 CE).
- 5 Lok Bhavan. The official residence of the Governor of Karnataka, appointed by the President of India, formerly the Raj Bhavan. Built by Sir Mark Cubbon between 1840 and 1842, it was originally home to the Resident or Commissioner that was in subsidiary alliance with the Kingdom of Mysore. The art collection comprises paintings of a variety of Indian schools of art, as well as some from the West. The residence is surrounded by beautiful gardens stretching over 16 acres (65,000 m2). The garden is fringed with century old pine and fir trees, and has an artificial waterfall.
- 6 Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), 22, Kasturba Rd (metro: Cubbon Park Purple ). Su-Th 10AM-6:30PM, F Sa 10AM-7:30PM. A private art museum and a custodian to a collection of Indian art, textiles, photography, craft, and design objects spanning from the twelfth century to the present. MAP has more than 20,000 artworks, predominantly from the Indian subcontinent, in its collection that are organised into six departments: Modern and Contemporary Art, Photography, Living Traditions, Popular Culture, Pre-Modern Art and Textiles, Craft and Design. The collection includes works by Indian modernists, as well as Indian artists. In addition, the vast collection includes photographs and works by indigenous artists. It also contains a café, restaurant and library over 5 stories. It's well worth a visit and takes about 2 hours. 2 free exhibitions, 2 paid exhibitions (₹150 combined).
- 7 Seshadari Iyer Memorial, Kasturba Rd (metro: Vidhana Soudha Purple ). A distinctive red sandstone building, hosting the State Central Library.
- 8 Venkatappa Art Gallery, Kasturba Rd (metro: Cubbon Park Purple ).
- 9 Vidhana Soudha (Karnataka Legislative Assembly), Dr Ambedkar Rd (metro: Vidhana Soudha Purple ). This granite building houses the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka. It was built during the tenure of K. Hanumanthaiya, Chief Minister of Mysore State (1951–1956). A marvel of neo-Dravidian architecture, and one of the most imposing buildings in India. One of the interesting features of this building are the grand stairs in its front. The steps of the grand stairs are 62 m (203 ft) wide and 21 m (69 ft) deep, giving direct access to the foyer of the first floor leading to an assembly chamber. The architecture comprises of Dravidian richly carved bases and capitals for pillars, deep friezes, kapotha cornices, chaithya arches, heavy pediments domical finials. At the same time, the construction uses modern designs, making use of present-day materials like steel, reinforced concrete, glass, and plastic. General public and tourists are not allowed to enter the ground or the building. It can only be viewed from the road and footpath outside the boundary walls.
- 10 Vikasa Soudha (metro: Vidhana Soudha Purple ). Located next to Vidhana Soudha, built in the same classic style. It was inaugurated in 2005. General public and tourists are not allowed to enter the premises. It can only be viewed from outside the boundary walls.
- 11 Visvesvaraya Centre (Visvesvaraya Towers) (metro: Cubbon Park Purple ). A government office complex, built on the site of the house of Sir M. Visvesvaraya after his death. Initially constructed for the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), it was later bought by the state government to house government offices. The brutalist architecture of this high-rise building at Cubbon Park area stands in sharp contrast to the neoclassical architecture of Vidhana Soudha, Attara Kacheri and the General Post Office. The general public is not allowed into the premises unless they have an appointment at one of the offices.
- 12 Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum (VITM) (metro: Cubbon Park Purple ), ☏ +91 80-22866200, [email protected]. 10AM-5:30PM (closed in Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali). Contains many fun learning activities and exhibitions that can be enjoyed by adults and children. Most exhibits are based on simple science, but some have industrial applications. For general visitors entry fee is ₹40. Some groups receive discounts (organised school groups, BPL Category when showing valid BPL card, etc). Entry is free for military and police personnel in uniform, the physically challenged, and children below 5 years of age. There is also a 3D show costing an extra ₹25 (for general public).
Forts and palaces
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- 13 Bangalore Fort (metro: Krishna Rajendra Market Green ). Built in 1537. A small part with massive granite walls, big gates, a dungeon and a small Ganesha temple is still intact. Check out the stone carving high up on the wall to your left after entering the massive wooden door. Free.
- 14 Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, Albert Victor Rd (metro: Krishna Rajendra Market Green ), ☏ +91 80 2670 6836. daily 9:30AM-5:30PM. Dating to about 1790, it was the summer retreat for Tipu Sultan. The two-storey structure is made mostly out of wood with finely embellished balconies, pillars and arches. It contains a small museum with information on Tipu Sultan. ₹20 for Indians/SAARC/BIMSTEC citizens and ₹250 for foreigners (tickets only available online, you will need a phone with a QR code scanner and mobile data).
Museums and galleries
[edit | edit source]- 15 Gandhi Bhavan, Kumara Park E. The museum consists of a gallery with rare photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and letters written by him, a library and an auditorium. It serves as a venue for meetings organised on Gandhian values in Bangalore.
- 16 Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. A visual art complex with 18 galleries, 13 of which carry a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures and folk art. The folk art collection showcases Mysore paintings and leather puppets.
- 17 National Military Memorial. A memorial-cum-museum dedicated to the personnel and families of martyrs who have died in the service of the nation. The collection in the museum include mockups of missiles like AKASH, Prithvi and BrahMos and rockets like Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
- 18 National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), 49, Manikyavelu Mansion, Palace Rd. Sa Su 11AM-7:30PM, Tu-F 11AM-6PM. The National Gallery of Modern Art houses an auditorium, café, shop and exhibitions of modern and contemporary art in a beautiful building. The gallery organises and hosts talks on art and culture by speakers, seminars, film screenings as well as workshops and guided walks throughout the year. ₹20 for Indian citizens, ₹500 for foreigners.
Places of worship
[edit | edit source]Churches
[edit | edit source]- 19 Hudson Memorial Church, Hudson Circle. Established in 1904 and named after missionary and scholar Rev. Josiah Hudson, who was responsible for opening Kannada schools in Bangalore Pete. The church attracts people of all faiths, especially in Thursdays and Sundays.
- 20 Rice Memorial Church, Avenue Rd. Established in 1904 and named after missionary and scholar Rev. Benjamin Holt Rice, who was responsible for opening Kannada schools in Bangalore Pete. The church is a stone building in the European Classical style, with Tuscan columns, pediments and keystone arch windows.
Temples
[edit | edit source]- 21 Dharmaraya Swamy Temple. One of the oldest temples of Bangalore and also the smallest, the Temple has existed since the times of Kempe Gowda. It is on S.P. Road close to Corporation Circle, behind the LIC building. This temple is famous for the Annual Karaga Festival held every summer. The Presiding Deity is Dharmaraya (Yudishthira) & Consort Draupadi, making it a unique one of its kind.
- 22 Kote Venkataramana Swamy Temple (metro: Krishna Rajendra Market Green , next to Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace). A fine example of Dravidian architecture, built by Maharaja Chikkadevaraya Wodeyar.
- 23 Maha Bodhi Society Temple, No. 14, Kalidas Road, Gandhi Nagar (northwest rim of Freedom Park). A relatively new structure, with the main shrine built as a replica of the historic stupa at Bodh Gaya. The temple grounds are very peaceful, and visitors are welcome to stroll around. In addition, the temple houses an excellent library of books on Buddhism, many of which are in English.
- 24 Ranganathaswamy Temple, Chickpet. A 16th-century Vaikhanasa temple, dedicated to Lord Ranganathaswamy. The temple is built in the Vijayanagara style of architecture with beautifully-carved granite pillars reminiscent of Hoysala influence. Rathotsavam (Chariot Festival) and Vaikuntha Ekadashi are observed here.
Do
[edit | edit source]- Church Street. A 750 m (2,460 ft) pedestrianised street from Brigade Road to St. Mark's Road, running parallel to MG Road. The street is paved from granite cobblestones, which were laid in a Kasuti pattern to reflect Karnataka's cultural heritage. It is a major shopping and nightlife area, and a popular spot for celebrating New Year's Eve.
- 1 Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bangalore Association for Science Education, Sri T. Choudaiah Road, High Grounds (opposite Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain, Near Raj Bhavan), ☏ +91 80-22379725, [email protected]. 12:30-4:30PM (closed M and second Th). A very good planetarium for adults and children alike. Shows are offered in Kannada and English. Each show is about 30 minutes long. There are about 200 seats available for each show. A ticket can be used only for the show mentioned on the ticket, and is non-refundable if you miss that show. ₹35 for adults and ₹20 for school students and children (up to 16 years), children below 3 years are not allowed inside the Sky-Theatre.
- 2 Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall (Bangalore Town Hall), 112 JC Road. A neoclassical building. The structure features a flight of steps leading to the entrance porch resting on Tuscan columns with identical columns extending on either sides. The auditorium has two floors with a total capacity of 810 seats.
Events
[edit | edit source]- 3 Chitra Santhe (Paintings market). An annual exhibition, held on the first Sunday of every year in January, the Chitra Santhe on Kumara Krupa Road (near Golf Course) brings together artists from all across Karnataka. Paintings, pottery, and sculpture are all on an exhibition-cum-sale. The road is closed to traffic on that day, making it possible to have a leisurely stroll, admiring and buying the items. Prices range from ₹100-20,000. Bargaining is recommended, but not too hard. Pay a fair price. (Credit cards and foreign currency are rarely accepted, so carry sufficient cash in Indian currency).
Parks
[edit | edit source]- 4 Cubbon Park (Sri Chamarajendra Udyanavana) (opposite to Chinnaswamy Stadium, Cubbon Park Purple ). A nice forested area in the city centre. The entrance from Queen's Statue forms the tourist attraction owing to the presence of the Government Aquarium and Bal Bhavan, a play area for kids. Puttaani Express a small toy train for kids, runs inside the Bal Bhavan, attracting kids from far and near. For attractions around the park, see the Cubbon Park area subsection of See.
- 5 Freedom Park. A park built on the grounds of a prison. It is also used for public protests.
Sports
[edit | edit source]- 6 Bangalore Race Course. One of the many horse racing venues in India. This one is run by the Royal Bangalore Turf Club (RBTC).
- 7 Sree Kanteerava Stadium. A multi-purpose stadium with a running track, a volleyball court, and two outdoor rock-climbing walls.
Learn
[edit | edit source]- 1 Alliance Française de Bangalore, Thimmaiah Rd, Kaverappa Layout, ☏ +91 7899562404. 9:30AM–5:30PM (closed S). Offers French language courses.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Krishna Rajendra Market (KR Market) (metro: KR Market Green ). The city's largest vegetable and fruit market.
- 2 UB City. You'll find brands like Versace, Louis Vuitton, Kimaya in the UB City.
Books
[edit | edit source]- Sapna Book House, 3rd Main Rd, near Kamat Yatri Nivas, Gandhi Nagar (Walking distance from Majestic Bus stand). This is a large bookstore, they also have branches in three other locations Sadashivnagar, Jayanagar, and Indiranagar. Sapna Book House also provides online book delivery.
Eat
[edit | edit source]- Mayur Restaurant vegetarian, Opposite Bus Station.
- Vaividhya Restaurant Vegetarian, Opposite Bus Station.
- Cake World, Near Bus Station.
- Ambur Biriyani, Near Bus Station (The Diagonal Road).
Splurge
[edit | edit source]- Blue Ginger, Taj West End (just next door to Blue Bar). High-end Vietnamese restaurant with a beautiful setting and excellent food.
- The Raj Pavilion, ITC Windsor Manor, Golf Course Rd.. 24/7 restaurant that offers the taste of the British Raj. Anglo-Lucknowi, Far East and Continental cuisine is served. Amongst the best in Bangalore.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under ₹1,500 |
| Mid-range | ₹1,500-4,500 |
| Splurge | Over ₹4,500 |
Budget
[edit | edit source]- Naga Residency, OTC Road, near Tavakal Mastan Dargah, Cottonpet, near Majestic, ☏ +91 80 41220539. ₹500.
- Omshakthi palace, OTC Road, near Tavakal Mastan Dargah, Cottonpet, near Majestic, ☏ +91 80 26707927. ₹600.
- Railway Retirement Room (inside the Central Railway Station). ₹850.
- Red Mount Lodge, OTC Road, near Tavakkal Mastan Dargah, Cottonpet, near Majestic, ☏ +91 80 41580000. ₹1,200.
- , Gandhinagar (near Sapna cinema, Kempe Gowda Circle). A secure and decent place to stay if you are there for a day or two. A nice canteen with Gujarati food available. In the vicinity there is another good place available for fast food/lunch named "SLV". Costs ₹50.
- U. G. Classic, OTC Road, Near Tavakal Mastan Dargah, Cottonpet, near Majestic. ₹1,200.
- UG Deluxe, Majestic, Thulsi Thotta (stop near the small road opposite Upparpet Police station and next to Navaruchi restaurant, then take right and then immediate left on a small lane and at the end of it take right and you will see the lodge on your right). You may want to take an auto instead of walking down if you are going after a rainy day as your shoes will get dirty. A/C rooms - ₹750, Non-A/C rooms - ₹550.
- Vardhaman Paradise, Ganesh Lodge Building OTC Road, near Tavakal Mastan Dargah, Cottonpet, Majestic, ☏ +91 8026707552. ₹320.
- 1 YMCA, Nrupathunga Rd (Near Cubbon Park), ☏ +91 80 2221 1848. No-frills hotel.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- 2 Ashraya International Hotel, 149, Infantry Rd, ☏ +91 80 4035 5999. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon.
- 3 The Capitol Hotel, 3 Raj Bhavan Rd, ☏ +91 80 2228 1234, +91 80 2228 1800, +91 90360 14223. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon.
- Fortune Park JP Celestial, Race Course Rd, ☏ +91 80 4044-1234.
- 4 Vanusa Residency, 3, Y, Ramachandra Rd, Gandhi Nagar, ☏ +91 63660 74949. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. ₹2,500.
Splurge
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- 5 Fortune Park JP Celestial, 5, 43, Race Course Rd, ☏ +91 80 46664100. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. ₹5,000.
- 6 Fortune Select JP Cosmos.
- 7 JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru, 24/1, Vittal Mallya Rd, ☏ +91 80 6718-9999. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. ₹15,340-27,140.
- 8 Lalit Ashok Hotel, Kumara Krupa High Grounds, ☏ +91 80 22 2404 2211 9, [email protected].
- 9 ITC Windsor, 25, Golf Course Rd, ☏ +91 80 2226 9898, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. ₹17,000.
- 10 Shangri-La Bengaluru.
- 11 Taj West End, Race Course Rd, ☏ +91 80 5660-5660, [email protected]. Nestled amidst 20 acres of flora and defined by its illustrious heritage and colonial charm. Started by the Bronsons as a 10-room inn in 1887, it now has 117 magnificent rooms and suites.