Fort William

Fort William, Kolkata Overview

The mighty edifice of Fort William is situated in the city of Kolkata, on the eastern bank of the  Hooghly River. Built in the year 1696, the fort gets its name from King William III and was the first stronghold of the British in the country. The magnificence of the building is aptly complemented by its expansive area, which is spread over 70.9 acres. The imposing structure of Fort William is embellished with hundreds of archlike windows and overlook lush green gardens. Meticulous stonework adorns the surface of the building and took as long as took ten years to reach completion. However, it was soon realized that the building had a few loopholes, and a new octagonal building was constructed whose foundation was laid by Sir Robert Clive.

Over the course of its existence, Fort William served a number of purposes, each of which was in stark contrast to the other. Initially, it comprised of wings and an inner Bastille where prisoners were hauled which is why it was known as 'the black hole of Calcutta'. Today, Fort William is the property of the Indian Army and has a capacity of accommodating up to 10,000 army personnel. It also serves as the headquarters of the Eastern Command. Due to its importance with respect to Indian intelligence, access to William Fort is limited to army personnel and their relatives. However, you can visit the palace for its admirable structure.

History of Fort William

Fort William has a long and illustrious history attached to its name. Interestingly, there are two Fort Williams. The original one was built in 1696 by the British East India Company under the authority of John Goldsborough. The construction was started along the Hooghly river and the South-East Bastion was the first its adjacent walls were the first sections to be constructed. Eventually, it was named after King William III in the year 1700. 1701 saw John Beard adding the North-East bastion to the fort and the construction of the Government House was started right in the centre of the fort. Finally, Fort William was completed in the year 1706 with the final edifice having two stories and projecting wings. An internal guard room became the 'Black Hole of Calcutta'.

In 1756, the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daulah, attacked the Wiliam Fort and temporarily conquered the city. He renamed the region 'Alinagar' and assumed control of the fort as well. This led the British to build a new fort in the Maidan under the watchful eye of Robert Clive. The construction of the new fort began in 1758, after the Batte of Plassey in 1757. A period of two years and a cost of approximately two million pounds was incurred as well.

Architecture of Fort William

The new Willliam Fort is octagonal in shape and has an imposing structure made out of brick and mortar. Three of its sides faced the River Ganga while the remaining five had a beautiful maidan full of greenery in front of it. The design of the fort follows the pattern of a star and was constructed such that it was impregnable against cannon firing slid shot. A moat was included in the design as well which provided protection against fire and fighters trying to penetrate the wall. There are six gates that provide access to the fort, namely Chowringhee, Plassey, Calcutta, Water Gate, St Georges and the Treasury Gate. St. Peter Church was constructed inside the new Fort in the year 1928. 

Present-day facilities at Fort William

The fort is now under the authority of the Indian Army. At present, the fort has many modern-day facilities it offers to its residing members including swimming pool, firing range and a boxing stadium. It is large enough to house nearly 10,000 interns and is a major resource for the Indian Armed Forces. 

How to Reach Fort William

Fort William is located in the center of the city. It is well connected by roads. Taxis and buses can easily be used to reach the destination.