St Thomas Cathedral (Code : 036)

- Archival Photo Print

One of the oldest standing British structures in the city, the St Thomas Cathedral was constructed by Governor Gerald Angier in 1676, but completed by Chaplain Richard Cobbe only 40 years later. The buttressed structure, a blend of Neo-Classical and Neo-Gothic styles with a white exterior, was the centre of British religious life in Bombay. It was originally divided into sections for different social classes, including one for “Inferior Women”. The monuments on the walls inside the cathedral are a witness to the history of Bombay Presidency from the early 18th century. Elaborate marble tablets and engravings with touching elegies, mark the resting places of several officers, generals and clerks and maids. St Thomas Cathedral is also the Church after which Churchgate is named. The Church Gate, erected where the present-day Flora Fountain now stands, was one of three gates that allowed access to the walled fort. The structure was selected for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage conservation award in 2004.