Fort William (Vijay Durg)

Fort William stands on the east bank of the Hooghly River on the Maidan in central Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The present fort replaced an earlier, smaller fort that was captured by Siraj ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, in June 1756, an episode that led to the Black Hole of Calcutta story. After Robert Clive's victory at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the East India Company began building a much larger and stronger fort south of the original site. Construction ran from 1758 to 1781 and consumed an enormous sum, and the surrounding villagers of Govindapur were cleared to create the open field of fire that later became the Maidan. The fort was named after King William III. Architecturally it is a star-shaped octagon of brick and mortar, with bastions, a moat, and sunken ditches designed to resist artillery of the period. It has six main gates, including the Chowringhee Gate, Plassey Gate, Calcutta Gate, St George's Gate, Water Gate and Treasury Gate. Inside, the grounds hold barracks, an arsenal, parade areas, St Peter's Church and military offices, and the fort once housed large stores of gold and treasure for the Company. The fort was never besieged after completion, and its role shifted from defence to administration and garrison duty. After Indian independence it became the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army, and it was renamed Vijay Durg. It is a working military installation, so there is no curatorial programme or public museum; its fabric is maintained by the army rather than as a heritage attraction. Most visitors view the fort's bastions, ditch and gates from the Maidan, and entry for the public requires prior permission from the Eastern Command. Photography near the perimeter is restricted.