Fodor's Expert Review Gateway of India
Mumbai's signature landmark, this elegant 85-foot stone archway was hastily erected as a symbol of welcome to Queen Mary and King George V of England when they paid a visit to India in 1911. In the years following, artisans added decorative carvings and lovely jharoka-work (window carvings), finishing in 1923. Less than 25 years later, the last British troops departed from India through the same ceremonial arch. The monument serves as a launching point for boats going to Elephanta Island, and this is also where luxury liners like the Queen Elizabeth 2 dock on their cruises. The majestic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, built before the Gateway of India, in 1903, now stands just behind it.