Features Of A World Heritage Site - Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a oldest and busiest railway station in India, which is located on D. N. Road, Mumbai. CST was earlier known by the name Victoria Terminus, and is one of the historic structures in city, which forms a very important part of Mumbai Subarban Railway. CST is also the headquarters of Central Railways of country. Local trains as well as long distance trains both operates to and from this terminus.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus has been declared as a World Heritage Site by the World Heritage Committee od UNESCO, in 2004. It was built in a Venetian Gothic Style of architecture, which dates back to the year 1888. This architectural style also reflects the influence of traditional Indian architecture. The interior structure of this terminus is decorated with wood carving, ornamental iron, tiles and brass railings. 

All the beautification mentioned above were done by the students of Bombay School Of Art. Frederick William Stevens, is a consulting architect who have designed the entire structure of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. For this enormous structure he charged a fee of 16.14 lakh rupees. This construction work work took around 10 years to fully complete the task. The name 'Victoria Terminus', has been given in the honor of 'Queen Victoria'. But this name was remain only for one year, because in 1996 the name of this terminus has been changed to 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus', which is derived from the name of Shivaji – King of Maratha Empire. 

The beautiful central dome, pointed arches, unconventional floor and soaring towers make this terminus a must-visit destination in Mumbai. It's architecture makes it look like a traditional Indian palace. This terminus also plays an important role in the history of Indian Railways. This is the only terminus which saw for first time the Steam Engine flagged off in country, which made a journey from Mumbai to Thane and served as a significant landmark of past. Due to all such features CST become a tourist destination and also a best way of transportation in Mumbai. Therefore, most of the travelers prefer to stay in a good and comfortable Hotels Near CST Station, so that they can easily catch the trains and also many other tourist destinations in Mumbai.

Peek Into History Of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is one of the most oldest and busiest railway terminus in India, which is situated at D. N. Road Mumbai. It is one of the historic structures, which forms the importane part of Mumbai Suburban Railway. It is also a main headquarter of Central Railway, which serves local trains as well as number of long distance trains. 

This beautiful monument is designed by Fredrick William Stevens, with a Victorian Italianate Gothnic Architecture and Indian Traditional Buildings. It was constructed in 1887, at Bori Bunder to admire the Golden Jubilee Of Queen Victoria. That's why CSTM was previously known as Victoria Terminus, then it's name was changed to present one in March 1996.

History:

Initially Bori Bunder was just a small area on the eastern line of Mumbai, which is used as a warehouse for goods transported (import + export) to and from Mumbai. The name itself says 'Bori' means Sack and 'Bunder means 'Port', i.e a place where sacks are stored. In 1850, The Great Indian Peninsular, built a railway station, named as Bori Bunder. Then in 1853 this terminus operates first passenger train in India from Bori Bunder to Thane, which helds the birth of Indian Railways. Same station was then rebuilt as Victoria Terminus, and then subsequently be renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai.

Structure:

CST building invokes the fusion of Italian and traditional Indian architecture. It has minarets, pointed arches, skyline, brass railings, wood acrving, tiles and outlandish ground plan. Due to its advanced structural and technical features it sets an example of 19th century railway architectural wonders. The construction of this terminus requires a high level of engineering both in terms of railway and civil engineering. It has a central dome shaped office, with 330 feet long platform and 1200 feet long train shed. It serves total 18 platforms, among which 7 are for local trains whereas remaining 11 are for long distance trains.

Hotels:

If you are planning to visit Mumbai, then Hotels Near CST are most recommended options for comfortable staying. If you stayed in these hotels then you can easily catch your trains at any time, and many of the tourist attractions are also close to this station. It is a best area for publis drive, and shopping too. Some of CSTM Hotels are:

• Hotel Sea Lord 
• Hotel Supreme 
• Hotel New Bengal 
• Hotel Avon Ruby 
• Hotel Bandra Regency