Rajabai Clock Tower
The Rajabai Clock Tower is situated in the the Indian city of Mumbai and is one of the area's most prominent landmarks and a popular tourist attraction. The tower is part of the Mumbai University complex and houses the University Library - itself known for its stained glass windows.
History
The tower was constructed in the 19th century, between 1869 and 1878 and the library formally opened to readers in 1880. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and is inspired by London's Big Ben clock tower. The cost of building the tower was met by stock broker Premchand "Cotton King" Roychand, in return for which it was named after his mother Rajabai.The tower is a mixture of Venetian and Gothic styles and is adorned with numerous ornamental figures.
The clock chimes every 15 minutes during the day. When first built it played 16 different tunes including "Rule Brittania" and "God Save The King" - those were the days of British empire. Today it plays only the chimes of Big Ben.
The tower is 280 ft (85m) tall and reportedly gives great views of Mumbai city. Unfortunately the staircase leading up to the top has been closed to tourists after a number of unfortunate incidents apparently involving depressed visitors taking the quick way down.
In January 2006 it was reported that the university plans to make the tower safe and reopen it as part of its 150 year celebrations. It is hoped that the tower will reopen within a year, however this is dependent on funding being available.
External Links:
University of Mumbai