Historical places in Dhaka-Ahsan Manjil

AHSAN MANJIL 

It is the most magnificent architectural monument in Bangladesh. It is located in the bank of river Buriganga. It is now a museum that preserve the culture and history of Nawab’s of Dhaka. Recognizing the historical and architectural importance of the Ahsan Manzil, the government of Bangladesh took some measures to renovate it. In 1985 Ahsan Manzil and its surroundings were acquired.

After the completion of the renovation work in 1992, it was brought under the control of Bangladesh National Museum (20 September 1992) and was opened for visitors. It was considered as official residents of the then Dhaka’s Nawabs. The building has a long history. First, it was the Rangmahal and lastly it became the French Trade centre. It took several years extending from 1859 to 1872, to complete the total architecture and was named  “Ahsan Manjil” by Abdul Ghani after the name of Nawab kwaja ahsanullah.

Famous People like Lord Dufferin, Northbrook, Lord Curzon visited the place and accepted the hospitality at Ahsan manjil in different time. Almost all political activities of Nawab Khwaja Salimullah centred round this palace. Ahsan Manzil was the cradle of the All India Muslim League.
 

Established on a raised platform of 1 metre  the two-storied palace measures 125.4 m by 28.75 m. The height of the ground floor is 5 metres and that of the first floor 5.8 metres. The dome is 27.13 m above the ground. There are porticos the height of the ground floor, both on the northern and southern sides of the palace. An open spacious stairway comes down from the southern portico, extending onto the bank of the river through the front garden. There was once a fountain in the garden in front of the stairs that does not exist today. The spacious north and south verandas of both the floors rest on semicircular arches. The verandas and rooms are covered with marble.