Attara Kacheri, Bangalore

Built

1864–1868

Style

European Classical Gothic

Current use

Karnataka High Court

Entry

Exterior viewing only

Distance from airport

About 37 km

History

By the mid-nineteenth century the administration of the Mysore state had outgrown the space available in the palace offices. A new building was planned to accommodate eighteen departments, and construction ran from 1864 to 1868 under the supervision of Lewin Bentham Bowring, the British Commissioner of the time. Its cost was reported at roughly ₹4.5 lakh, a large amount then. The court moved into the building in later years and has used it ever since, which is one reason the structure has been so well maintained. Because of his role the building is still often called Bowring's Attara Kacheri.

Architecture

The design draws on European Classical Gothic ideas: pointed arches, a strictly balanced front, tall columns and long verandas. The deep red paint is the building's calling card. Seen together with the pale Vidhana Soudha, it makes one of the city's best-known pairs of landmarks, and the contrast is at its best in late-afternoon light.

Visiting

Since the High Court works from here, the interior is not open to tourists. You can walk along the front, photograph it from the road and combine the stop with the Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park and the State Central Library nearby.

• Best viewed from the Vidhana Soudha side of the road
• Photography of the exterior is common; follow any instructions from security staff
• Sundays and holidays have lighter traffic around the complex
• Allow 20–30 minutes here, or longer if you continue into Cubbon Park

How to reach

The building stands in central Bengaluru on Dr Ambedkar Veedhi, next to Cubbon Park. Vidhana Soudha and Cubbon Park stations on the Namma Metro Purple Line are within walking distance. Kempegowda International Airport is about 37 km away.

Also nearby