A guide to the heritage neighborhoods of Kolkata

India is a cultural melting pot – and nowhere is this clearer than in Kolkata. Having stood at the crossroads as empires swept into the country over hundreds of years, the city formerly known as Calcutta is today a tapestry of relics and ruins from disparate cultures. 

Visitors to Kolkata can experience diverse cultures over just a day or two. From the colonial architecture of Dalhousie Square, to Chinatown’s delicious street eats, to the holy sites of Jewish and Armenian diasporas, here’s how to navigate Kolkata and its confluence of cultures.

Colonial architecture in Old Kolkata

Colonial flavour still peppers old Kolkata to this day, as the city was the capital of British India from 1772 to 1911 when political unrest caused the colonials to move the capital to Delhi.  

Dalhousie Square, now called BBD Bagh, is home to grand structures such as the Writers’ Building, Town Hall and the General Post Office. Walk around this neighbourhood to observe the passage of time upon these historic buildings – some of which have aged gracefully, while others, with their peeling paint and crumbling walls, tell a different story. 

If Dalhousie Square tells of how the British ruled, then nearby Bow Barracks speaks of  how they lived. A short walk from legendary cricket grounds Eden Gardens, six blocks of multi-level houses sit cheek by jowl, with red facades, green windows and fluttering curtains. Built for the British army during World War I, they were handed over to Anglo-Indian families when the soldiers left. Nearby also stands the late 18th-century St John’s Church, one of the oldest in the city, and the 19th-century St Paul’s Cathedral, a sprawling Gothic-style church.

Kolkata’s colonial flavour also lives on in certain establishments. Tearoom Flury’s and restaurant Mocambo are iconic for their European flair, while newer spaces offer a more nuanced experience. Raajkutir, an urban resort-style boutique hotel about six kilometers east of Dalhousie Square, offers a distinctive ambience of rajbari, a style of British-influenced architecture adopted by wealthy landowners. And at Jalsa, a new restaurant within the colonial Harrington Mansion, expect stained glass windows and and refurbished interiors that hark back to bygone eras. 

Chinese culture and cuisine in Tangra

Wander down the warren of streets along Tiretta Bazaar, also known as Chinatown – it’s where Chinese immigrant plantation workers are said to have settled when they arrived in Kolkata back in the early 18th century. Keep your eyes open for hidden surprises, such as the early 18th-century Chinese temple with a club room and a newspaper printed in Mandarin. The best time to walk the streets is at breakfast, when two of the main thoroughfares are filled with Chinese hawkers dishing up vegetable and pork dumplings, fried wantons, baos, noodles and much more. 

If Tiretta Bazaar is overwhelming, try Tangra, the newer Chinatown known for its Tangra-style food – a unique mix of Sichuan, Hakka and Cantonese cuisines. At Golden Joy, take your pick from Hakka noodles, golden fried prawns and spicy mixed fried rice. For more elegant surroundings, opt for Wykiki which offers fabulous views of the Kolkata skyline. 

Memorials of the Armenian diaspora

The Armenian influence on Kolkata is outsized given the relatively small population – an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 in 1947 and far fewer now. Still, their legacy endures. Having fled to Kolkata to escape organized persecution in the 16th century, they went on to build stunning churches and impact local education and sporting cultures in their adopted home.  

Don’t miss the beautiful interiors of Kolkata’s oldest church, the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth, just a stone’s throw from Tiretta Bazaar. Outside, the courtyard air is melancholic, as you trace through a profusion of ancient marble gravestones, some of which date back to 1630. 

An interesting tidbit: it was the Armenians who introduced and established rugby in Kolkata, and an annual championship continues to this day.   

Remnants of a once-vibrant Jewish community

Of all the cultures that have influenced Kolkata, Judaism has almost disappeared, save for two stunning synagogues and a handful of people. Baghdadi Jews arrived in Kolkata in the 1800s when they faced persecution, and quickly assimilated into the local population. 

Though there were once enough Jewish people to warrant five synagogues, now only two are left. Magen David Synagogue brings Italian Renaissance flair to Barra Bazar with its brick finish, ornate arches and beige trim. The nearby Beth El Synagogue is equally striking; both are protected monuments and tourist destinations, kept open for the occasional visitor. 

A more bustling reminder of Kolkata’s Jewish heritage is Nahoum’s, a 120-year Jewish bakery in Hogg Market. Step inside for a dose of old world charm, and marvel at its antique furniture, till  and display cases. But the real draw is perhaps its age-old recipes used to make such delicacies as rum balls, challah, savoury cakes and almond biscuits.

Ready to explore the rich cultures of Kolkata? Fly there directly with Thai Airways.