Everywhere you look in India there are relics still standing of a time when the sun never set on the British Empire. Of all the things the British brought with them as they explored the world, their architecture is one of the most easily recognized. From the colonial houses of New England to the government buildings of India, they stand in stark contrast to the structures that surround them. In this case, the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta which was built to pay homage to Queen Victoria after her death at 94. It was erected on orders of the Viceroy of British India, Lord Curzon. Constructing buildings such as this was part of England’s efforts to civilize the world. To this day, the museum at the Victoria Memorial is the best in India. The memorial was built without tapping any British government funds. The money was donated by a number of Indian states as well as the country’s then-emerging middle class, eager to secure a position in history and local political favor. The result is a building that recreates the British love of Italian and Greek architecture while incorporating the Islamic domes so common in the region. In fact, some of the marble for the Victoria Memorial is from the same quarry as the stone for the Taj Mahal.

• At the top of the dome is a 16-foot-tall bronze statue of Victory mounted on ball bearings. Though not a true weathervane, it rotates when the wind is strong enough.
• 4 January, 1906 - King George V (then the Prince of Wales) lays the cornerstone.
• 28 December, 1921 - King Edward VIII dedicates the completed structure.