Places of Interest in Mumbai, The Beatle Hotel

GATEWAY OF INDIA

The Gateway of India happens to be the principle landmark of Bombay. The same was built in yellow basalt to commemorate the royal visit of George V and Queen Mary in 1911. The construction was completed in 1924. The Gateway of India is analogous to Bombay as the Statue of Liberty is to New York. Your trip to Bombay sans visit to the Gateway of the India will be incomplete.

MUMBAI UNIVERSITY BUILDING

Set amidst beautifully laid lawns, The Bombay University with its dreamy tableau of convocation hall, library and clock tower, reminds the Oxford. They were designed in 1870 by architect Gilbert Scott, one of the few architects of international stance to design a building in colonial Bombay.
Rajabai Clock tower, situated at the gardens of the Bombay University building rises above the portion of the library section. Consisting of five elaborately decorated storeys the tower is 80m tall.

BOMBAY MUNICIPAL CORP. BUILDING

Mumbai Corporation building is a 255 feet tall Gothic architecture building, which was completed in 1893.
The Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) was created in 1865, with Arthur Crawford appointed as the first municipal commissioner of Bombay for five years

VICTORIA TERMINUS

The Victoria Terminus that was designed by F.W. Stevens follows the Italian Gothic style of architecture. It is significant owing to the fact that the historic steam train from Mumbai to Thane was flagged from here way back in 1853.

NARIMAN POINT

Nariman point is the place where one can find all the airlines offices and most of the consulates and high commissions of various countries. This place is dotted with many high-rise buildings giving it a Manhattan look housing corporate offices of many important industrial houses in India. Within its cluster of skyscrapers are located some of the most powerful business houses in the country. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Vidhan Sabha are also located here.

MARINE DRIVE

Recently renamed as "Netaji Subhashchandra Bose Road", one of the most popular promenades of Mumbai is the Marine Drive. Built on land reclaimed during 1920s and 1930s, it spans along the shore of the Arabian Sea from Nariman Point past Chowpatty beach to Babulnath, at the foot of Malabar Hill. It is also referred to as "Queen's Necklace" because of the vivid line of streetlights lit up at night.

JAIN TEMPLE

The city of Mumbai offers many popular places of visit like the Jain temple, which is located on the Malabar Hill. The Jain temple houses frescoes depicting various events in the lives of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras. It also has a black marble shrine decorated with celestial personifications of the planets painted onto the ceiling. A large number of devotees as well as tourists come here every day.

KAMALA NEHRU PARK

Kamala Nehru Park is located on top of the Malabar hills. Built in 1952 and named after the wife of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, this park covers an area of 3500sq.m and gives a magnificent view of Marine Drive.

HANGING GARDEN / MALABAR HILL

Also known as Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, the Hanging Gardens were built in 1880 and renovated in 1921. These gardens are popularly known as Hanging Gardens, because the garden is laid on the slope of a hill. The terrace garden provides a panoramic view of the city and a breathtaking sunset. It is built over three reservoirs those store 30 million gallons of water, which is pumped to quench the thirst the city.

HAJI ALI

Honoring the Muslim saint Haji Ali this mosque, in Mumbai, was built in the middle of the sea with only a narrow path leading to it giving it an ethereal look. As per the Muslim traditions separate praying rooms for ladies and gents are provided to pay their respects. It is set 500 yards into the sea and can be reached only in low tides

DHOBI GHAT

Dhobi Ghat is a place beyond your wildest imagination. Chaos, colour, activity and sounds mix together here in a freakish blend, which has given it its unique flavour. It is the anithesis to the sophisticated and manicured lawns of Mahalaxmi Racecourse, although it is only a few hundred yards away. This is the fascinating place where Mumbai's laundry is done. Clothes are washed by hundreds of Dhobis (laundry men and women) by hand, on concrete sinks and dried in the sun, as it has been done for generations.

MANI BHAVAN

Mani Bhavan is the building where Mahatma Gandhi stayed during his frequent visits to Mumbai. It was the home of Revashankar Jhavei, a diamond merchant and a supporter of Indian National Congress. Converted into a museum, it has a library of Gandhian literature. Gandhiji's room remains untouched and the rest of the museum is devoted for photographic exibits.

PRINCE OF WALES MUSEUM (OPTIONAL)

The Prince of Wales Museum was also built to venerate King George’s visit. The construction of the museum is based on the Indo -Saracenic style of architecture and was successfully completed in 1923. It has valuable collections of art and paintings, archaeology, and natural history. The collection includes local sculptures from Elephanta, Parel and Jogeshwari and 11th and 12th century sculptures from Karnataka and Gujarat.