St Andrews Church, Kolkata

St Andrews Church, Kolkata tickets: which one to buy

Saint Andrew's Church, known as the Kirk, stands at the northern corner of Dalhousie Square, now called BBD Bagh, in the heart of Kolkata's old colonial business district, and entry is free. The church is usually open during the day, with a caretaker who may show visitors around. It is one of the landmarks of British Calcutta, facing the Writers' Building, the seat of the West Bengal government.

Heritage walks of Dalhousie Square combine the church with the General Post Office, Saint John's Church with the tomb of Job Charnock, the Raj Bhavan and the old offices of trading companies. The area is busy and chaotic on weekdays, with traffic and office workers, and quieter on Sundays. The Esplanade metro and many buses serve the district. Visitors should dress modestly and remove hats inside. Yellow Ambassador taxis are a Kolkata tradition and can take you between the heritage sites.

Visiting St Andrews Church, Kolkata: what to see

The church was built between 1815 and 1818 for the Scottish community of Calcutta, members of the Church of Scotland, and it was designed in a neoclassical style inspired by Saint Martin-in-the-Fields in London, with a columned portico and a tall white spire. According to local tradition, the spire was built taller than that of Saint John's Church, the Anglican church nearby, as a sign of rivalry, and a weathercock was placed on top, supposedly because the Scots were not permitted a cross. The interior is plain and elegant, with a gallery, wooden pews, memorial tablets to Scottish merchants, soldiers and missionaries, and a pipe organ.

The church is part of the Church of North India today. Its white spire stands out among the red brick colonial buildings of the square. The organ in the gallery was installed in the nineteenth century and is still used for services. Memorial tablets inside commemorate members of the Scottish community who died in India, including soldiers and missionaries. The church's clock tower is a local landmark. The portico's columns create a shaded entrance from the busy street. The churchyard has old trees and benches. The pews and wooden fittings have been carefully maintained. The church is one of several colonial buildings on the square that are being restored.

St Andrews Church, Kolkata opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open during the day on most days, and services are held on Sundays. Kolkata is hot and humid in summer, from April to June, and has heavy rains during the monsoon from June to September; the most pleasant season is from November to February. Durga Puja in October is the city's biggest festival, filling the streets with decorated pandals and crowds.

Christmas in Kolkata is celebrated with lights on Park Street. Early morning is the best time to walk around Dalhousie Square before the traffic builds. Allow about twenty minutes for the church, and join a heritage walk of the square. Saint John's Church, a short walk away, holds the mausoleum of Job Charnock, founder of Calcutta, and a painting by Johann Zoffany.