Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

The famous dome of the Taj was the first and obvious marker of Bombay's harbor until the Gateway to India was built beside it some 20 years later. This iconic Arabian seafront hotel was built in 1903 under Jamsetji Tata. It draws inspiration from around the world, showcasing prominent Victorian Gothic, Romanesque and Edwardian architectural elements.

Construction of the hotel began in 1898 and opened for the first time on December 16, 1902. It is located in Colaba, next to the India Gate. The Taj Mahal is the first building in Bombay to be lit with electricity.

At one time, it is believed that Jamshedji Tata built the hotel after he was denied entry to the Watson's Hotel, which is only for whites. He built this hotel to give residents a royal experience “worthy of Bombay”.

The original Indian architects on the project for the Taj were Sitaram Khanderao Vaidya and DN Mirza, however it was completed by a British engineer, WA Chambers. Contractor Khansaheb Sorabji Ruttonji built this grand hotel, and the Taj's unique floating staircase is his design.

The hotel is a six-story building with a Moorish dome at its center and magnificent architecture of Indo-Saracenic style. This royal palatial building is carved with Victorian Gothic and Romanesque details along with Edwardian carvings on the roof. The hotel uses American fans, German elevators, Turkish baths and British butlers to offer city dwellers an experience unlike any other in the country.

At the beginning of the 20th century, when Jamshedji was visiting Paris, he saw for the first time the pillars made of twisted iron and ordered the transportation of ten such pillars to build his grand hotel. Today, these age-old pillars still house the hotel ballroom.

Not many people know that during World War I (1914–1918), the hotel was converted into a hospital with 600 beds. In 1947, the first industrial speech of independent India was also given at the hotel.

On November 26, 2008, the hotel suffered an unfortunate series of terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of at least 167 people, with at least 31 people dying in the hotel. The hotel reopened after renovations on India's Independence Day, August 15, 2010. And on November 6, 2010, when US President Barack Obama became the first foreign head of state. staying at the hotel after the attack, he also delivered a speech from the hotel's terrace, where he said that "Taj has been a symbol of the strength and resilience of the Indian people."

Opening hours: 24/24