Old High Court Building, Dhaka

Last updated
Old High Court Building Old High Court Building Dhaka Bangladesh.jpg
Old High Court Building

The Old High Court Building in Dhaka is situated at High Court Street, opposite the picturesque Curzon Hall. It was constructed in the beginning of the 20th century and designed by Chishty Brothers Architects and Engineers in Renaissance architectural style. It served as an official residence and governmental office before coming the High Court Building after the division of India in 1947.

Contents

Architectural significance

Interior staircase INTERIOR STAIRS VIEW , OLD HIGH COURT.JPG
Interior staircase

This is the finest example in Dhaka of the European Renaissance style with few or no Mughal features. It has a prominent central porch under a triangular pediment which is supported on Corinthian columns. The building is surmounted by a graceful dome which rests on a ring of columns. On entering the building through this porch there are two wide verandahs on either side of the 28 foot square entrance hall, which is paved with white marble. Beyond is a broad staircase, also flagged with white marble which leads to the upper storey. On the west of the entrance hall are a couple of drawing rooms of similar dimensions, measuring 25 by 34 feet, and these rooms are terminated by a north–south oriented verandah and a long corridor around a large rectangular inner courtyard. On the east, there is a ball room which measures 60 by 55’-0” and is fronted by a verandah on the south. The inner central courtyard is overlooked on both the east and west wings by long covered corridors and a circular projection in the centre of each wing, whilst the two-storeyed northern wing facing south, accommodates four large bedrooms measuring 28’-0” x 17”-8” and 25’-0” x 16”-0” with dressing rooms and bathrooms between them. These also are flanked by two 9’-8” wide verandahs on both the front and back. A staircase through the middle of the north wing leads to the upper storey. There are two spiral staircases at the corners of the quadrilateral blocks. The entire flooring on the ground floor is of white marble except for ballroom which is of polished teak timber planks. The edifice presents a graceful example of the European Renaissance style as adapted to suit this country.

Present condition

It is now under the control of Supreme Court. Now it is divided into two parts, one part is being used for crime tribunal and the other part for law commission.

Address

The Old High Court is situated at High Court Street, opposite the picturesque Curzon Hall, and skirting the Ramna Green, Dhaka.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Waterhouse</span> British architect (1830–1905)

Alfred Waterhouse was an English architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture, although he designed using other architectural styles as well. He is perhaps best known for his designs for Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum in London, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the country. Besides his most famous public buildings he designed other town halls, the Manchester Assize buildings—bombed in World War II—and the adjacent Strangeways Prison. He also designed several hospitals, the most architecturally interesting being the Royal Infirmary Liverpool and University College Hospital London. He was particularly active in designing buildings for universities, including both Oxford and Cambridge but also what became Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds universities. He designed many country houses, the most important being Eaton Hall in Cheshire, largely demolished in 1961-63. He designed several bank buildings and offices for insurance companies, most notably the Prudential Assurance Company. Although not a major church designer he produced several notable churches and chapels. He was both a member of The Royal Institute of British Architects, of which he served a term as President, and a Royal Academician, acting as Treasurer for the Royal Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaheed Minar, Dhaka</span> Monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Shaheed Minar is a national monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh, established to commemorate those killed during the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations of 1952 in then East Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahsan Manzil</span> National museum in Bangladesh

Ahsan Manzil is a palace located in the Kumartoli area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was formerly the residence and seat of the Nawab of Dhaka and has been designated an Old Dhaka Heritage Site. It now serves as a museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Munich Residenz</span> Building in Munich, Germany

The Residenz in central Munich is the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria. The Residenz is the largest city palace in Germany and is today open to visitors for its architecture, room decorations, and displays from the former royal collections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane Central Technical College</span> Heritage-listed building in Brisbane, Queensland

Brisbane Central Technical College is a heritage-listed technical college at 2 George Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1911 to 1956. It became the Queensland Institute of Technology (QIT) in 1965, and then in 1987 that became the Queensland University of Technology. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 August 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star Mosque</span> Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Star Mosque, is a mosque located in Armanitola area, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The mosque has ornate designs and is decorated with motifs of blue stars. It was built in the first half of the 19th century by Mirza Golam Pir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tajhat Palace</span> Historic palace of Bangladesh

Tajhat Palace, Tajhat Rajbari, is a historic palace of Bangladesh, located in Tajhat, Rangpur. This palace now holds the Rangpur museum. Tajhat Palace is situated six km. south-east of the city of Rangpur, on the outskirts of town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bara Katra</span> Historical and architectural monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Bara Katra is one of the oldest historical and architectural monuments in Dhaka. The word Katra may have originated from Arabic word Katara which means colonnaded building. 'Katra/ katara' in Arabic and Persian means 'Caravan (Karwan) Sarai' or simply a 'Sarai'. It is a palatial building dating to the reign of the Mughal dynasty in the Bengal region. It is situated to the south of Chowk Bazaar close to the north bank of the river Buriganga. It was partially demolished in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruplal House</span> Historic site in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ruplal House is a 19th-century mansion in Farashganj area in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was built on the northern bank of the Buriganga River, beside the Buckland Dam. The house was built in 1825 by an Armenian businessman Stephen Aratoon. It was later bought by two merchants, Ruplal Das and his brother Raghunath Das, in 1840. Later, an architect firm of Calcutta, Martin Company, re-constructed this building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Garden Palace</span> Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Rose Garden Palace is a mansion and garden in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. Built in the late 19th century, it became birthplace of the Awami League in 1949, when East Bengali liberal and social democrats converged in Dhaka to form an alternative political force against the Muslim League in Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sat Gambuj Mosque</span> Mosque near Dhaka in Bangladesh

The Sat Gambuj Mosque is near the northwestern outskirts of Dhaka in the Mohammadpur area. It is a fine example of the provincial Mughal style of architecture introduced in Bangladesh in the 17th century. The mosque's most notable features are its seven bulbous domes crowning the roof and covering the main prayer hall. The monument stands in a romantic setting on a buttressed 15-foot-high bank overlooking an extensive flood plain. The mosque dates to the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and may have been built by the Mughal governor Shaista Khan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitford Hospital, Dhaka</span> Hospital in Bangladesh

Mitford Hospital is a public hospital located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is situated in the historic Old Dhaka area. The hospital serves as a teaching hospital of Sir Salimullah Medical College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salimullah Muslim Hall</span>

Salimullah Muslim Hall is a residential hall at Dhaka University, named after Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur. It was inaugurated on 11 August 1931. Among the residential halls of Dhaka University, Salimullah Muslim Hall holds a special status due to its heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hussaini Dalan</span>

The Hussaini Dalan is an Imambara that was originally built during the later half of the Mughal rule in the 17th century in Dhaka. It was built as the Imambara of the Shia Muslim community. Hussaini Dalan serves as the main Hussainiya of Dhaka, or venue for majlis or gatherings held during the month of Muharram, the tenth day religious gathering commemorates the martyrdom of Hussain, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farashganj</span> Human settlement in Bangladesh

Farashganj is a neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The name comes from the Bengali word for French which is Forashi and ganj, meaning market-town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Dhaka</span>

The architecture of Dhaka is a confluence of many architectural styles. From the Sena temples built by Ballal Sen, to the Mughal architecture of the Mughals, to the Indo-Saracenic style of the colonial era, to 20th century steel and chrome of skyscrapers. Dhaka has a colonial core in the river port area, surrounded by progressively newer areas as one travels away from the Buriganga, punctuated with old temples, churches and mosques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kartalab Khan Mosque</span> Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Kartalab Khan Mosque or Begum Bazar Mosque, in the Begum Bazar area in old Dhaka, Bangladesh, was built by Nawab Diwan Murshid Quli Khan between 1700 and 1704. The mosque consists of a high valuated platform, a mosque with a 'dochala' annex on the north upon the western half of the platform and a 'baoli' to the east of the platform. It is roofed by five domes resting on octagonal drums. The mosque was extensively renovated by Mirza Golam Pir in the nineteenth century. In accordance with Murshid Quli Khan's wishes, he was buried under the entrance to this mosque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puthia Rajbari</span> Historic site in Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Puthia Rajbari is a palace in Puthia Upazilla, Rajshahi in Bangladesh, built in 1895, for Rani Hemanta Kumari Debi, it is an example of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture. The palace is sited on the Rajshahi Natore highway 30 km from the east of the town and one km south from Rajshahi Natore highway. It is currently used by Lashkarpur Degree College but is in a poor state of repair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Maria Hostel</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Villa Maria Hostel is a heritage-listed nursing home at 167–173 Saint Paul's Terrace, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Frank Cullen, Hennessy, Hennessy, Keesing & Co, & J P Donoghue and built from 1927 to 1968. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 18 September 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady of the Assumption Convent, Warwick</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Our Lady of Assumption Convent is a heritage-listed former Roman Catholic convent at 8 Locke Street, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Simkin & Ibler and built from 1891 to 1914. It is also known as Assumption College, Cloisters, and Sophia College. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

References

Further reading

23°43′46″N90°24′08″E / 23.7294°N 90.4023°E / 23.7294; 90.4023