Howrah Bridge

Kolkata · West Bengal

The mighty cantilever bridge over the Hooghly — an engineering icon and the thundering, unforgettable gateway to Kolkata.

Timings

Open 24 hours (photography of the bridge itself is restricted)

Entry

Free

Best time

Early morning at the flower market below; sunset from a river ferry

Time needed

1 hour

Few structures embody a city like the Howrah Bridge embodies Kolkata. This colossal steel cantilever bridge, opened in 1943, spans the Hooghly River without a single nut or bolt in its main span — held together entirely by rivets — and carries a staggering torrent of pedestrians, vehicles and hand-carts every day.

The best way to experience it is from below and around: the frenetic Mullick Ghat flower market at dawn beneath its girders, and a ride on one of the river ferries that offer the classic view of the bridge silhouetted against the sky.

Don't miss

›The dawn flower market (Mullick Ghat) beneath the bridge.
›A Hooghly ferry ride for the classic bridge view.
›The sheer human energy crossing it at rush hour.

Good to know

Photography of the bridge itself is officially restricted (it's a key installation) — shoot from the ferries and ghats instead. The flower market is a photographer's dream at first light.