Attara Kacheri (Karnataka High Court)

Attara Kacheri, the seat of the Karnataka High Court, is a red-painted Greco-Roman style building on Dr Ambedkar Veedhi at the edge of Cubbon Park in Central Bengaluru, in Karnataka, India. It was built between 1864 and 1868 to house government offices, and its name, meaning eighteen departments, refers to the number of departments originally accommodated. Its bold red colour, tall columns, pediments, arched windows and broad steps make it one of the most recognisable colonial buildings in the city, and it stands directly opposite Vidhana Soudha. Because the building is a working court, visitors view the exterior only, from Cubbon Park and the road, and the interior is not open to tourists. The best photographic angles are from the lawns of Cubbon Park across the road, where the red facade contrasts with the trees, and from Dr Ambedkar Veedhi, which frames both the High Court and Vidhana Soudha. A stop usually takes fifteen to thirty minutes and is most often part of a walk through Cubbon Park and the government district. There are no tickets, and the exterior can be seen at any hour in daylight. Weekday working hours bring lawyers, litigants and traffic, so the surroundings are busy, while Sundays and early mornings are much calmer and give the cleanest photographs. Security is present, and visitors should not photograph court staff or restricted areas and should follow instructions from guards. Cubbon Park metro station and Vidhana Soudha station on the Purple Line are each a short walk away. The Government Museum, Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Library and Cubbon Park bandstand are close by. Refreshment stalls are found around the park entrances.