The Currency Building in Kolkata, constructed in 1833, stands as a remarkable relic of colonial architecture and monetary history in India. Originally built to house the Calcutta branch of the Agra Bank, the building later served as the Office of the Issue and Exchange of Government Currency during the British Raj. Between 1935 and 1937, it functioned as the first central office of the Reserve Bank of India. Located prominently at B.B.D. Bagh, the building is a three-story Italianate-style structure featuring marble and Chunar sandstone floors, wrought iron gates, Venetian windows, and richly detailed interiors.
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| Currency building, Kolkata en.wikipedia.org |
The central hall, once the bustling exchange center for currency, gold, and silver, was originally crowned by three large domes with skylights. These domes were demolished in the 1990s when the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) began dismantling the structure. The building faced complete demolition by 1998, but a conservation campaign led by INTACH and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation saved it. In 2003, custodianship was transferred to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which undertook its extensive restoration from 2005 to 2019.
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| Open-air Cental Hall, Currency building, Kolkata, image: Rangan Datta en.wikipedia.org |
The ASI-led restoration was a meticulous process involving heritage engineers and archaeologists. Restoration work included rebuilding the damaged central section, lime plastering, drainage repairs, structural reinforcements, and installing motion-sensor glass doors. The building’s formerly domed central hall was reimagined as an open-air courtyard for public events. Polished windows and doors, restored wooden staircases, and repainted façades were among the conservation highlights. Notably, ASI archaeologists discovered evidence of an underground canal connecting to the Hooghly River, historically used to cool freshly minted coins.
The Currency Building was officially reopened as a public museum by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 11, 2020. It has since hosted significant cultural exhibitions, including Ghare Baire, Bengal’s first comprehensive colonial-to-modern art showcase, and served as a venue for the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival. Now Grade I heritage-listed, the restored Currency Building stands as a rare blend of history, architecture, and adaptive reuse in modern-day Kolkata.
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