Merch
News
Panchangam
Apps
Downloads
For Teachers
Resources
About
PEOPLE
IDEAS
PLACES
CULTURE
CREATE
STORIES
GAMES
Gateway of India
गेटवे ऑफ इंडिया
Mumbai's great arch — where a century of history meets the sea
Era
1924
Built by
Designed by George Wittet; British Raj
Location
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Type
Modern Landmarks
The Story
In 1911, King George V and Queen Mary arrived in Bombay, and the British Raj decided to commemorate the visit with a grand archway on the waterfront. Designed by George Wittet in Indo-Saracenic style — a fusion of architecture of Bhārat and Islam — the 26-metre basalt structure was completed in 1924, using yellow basalt and concrete.
History loves irony: the Gateway built to welcome imperial rulers became the exit of the empire. In February 1948, the last British troops sailed away through the arch, and independent Bhārat claimed its most famous gateway. The structure's name, however, now celebrates a different entry — that of every visitor to Mumbai.
Today the Gateway is Mumbai's living room. Ferries to Elephanta Island and the harbour buzz around it, street photographers and vendors crowd its steps, and the five-star Taj Mahal Palace Hotel stands guard beside it — together framing one of the most photographed waterfronts in Bhārat.
Core Ideas
Built for a King
Commemorating the 1911 royal visit of King George V and Queen Mary.
Indo-Saracenic Style
A fusion of architecture of Bhārat and Islam in yellow basalt.
The Empire's Exit
The last British troops left Bhārat through this arch in 1948.
26 Metres of Stone
The grand arch that frames Mumbai's harbour.
Mumbai's Living Room
Ferries, crowds, and the famous Taj Palace beside it.
Why it matters today
The Gateway of India is Mumbai's emblem — a monument that watched an empire arrive and depart, and now welcomes the world to Bhārat's most energetic city.