The Gateway of India is Mumbai's defining landmark — a 26-metre basalt arch on the waterfront built to commemorate King George V's visit to India in 1911 and completed in 1924, just 23 years before the last British troops marched through it in 1948 as India gained independence. The arch, designed by George Wittet in the Indo-Saracenic style (blending Hindu, Muslim, and European architectural elements), faces the Arabian Sea and is the first thing visible when arriving by boat — the view that every immigrant, trader, and coloniser has seen since Mumbai became a port city.
The Gateway faces the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel across a small plaza, and the combination of the arch and the hotel — both monuments to the British Raj, both now symbols of Indian national pride — creates the most photographed pairing in Mumbai. The harbour behind the Gateway is the departure point for ferries to Elephanta Island.
Verified Facts
The Gateway was completed in 1924 to commemorate George V's 1911 visit
The arch is 26 metres tall
The last British troops departed through the Gateway in 1948
Designed by George Wittet in Indo-Saracenic style
Get walking directions
Haji Niyaz Ahmed Azmi Marg, Colaba, Mumbai, 400001, India
