Gateway of India
The Arch on Mumbai Harbour
Overview
The Gateway of India is a triumphal basalt arch on the Mumbai waterfront at Apollo Bunder, overlooking the Arabian Sea, built to commemorate the 1911 visit of King George V and Queen Mary. Designed by the architect George Wittet in the Indo-Saracenic style and completed in 1924, its central dome rises about 26 metres. It is best known as the point through which the last British troops ceremonially left India in 1948. Today it is Mumbai's most recognisable landmark and the jetty for boats to Elephanta Island. MyTripMyTravel includes it on the curated Mumbai heritage walk.
The Gateway of India is the front door of Mumbai, a honey-coloured basalt arch on the harbour that was built to welcome a king and is remembered for waving an empire goodbye. Almost every visitor's mental image of the city includes it.
George Wittet designed it in the Indo-Saracenic idiom, fusing a Roman triumphal arch with Gujarati and Islamic detailing, and it was completed in 1924. Its most resonant moment came in February 1948, when the last British troops in India marched out through it, the arch built to receive the Raj became the stage for its exit.
MyTripMyTravel places the Gateway on the Mumbai heritage walk, paired with the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel opposite and, for those who want it, the boat across to the Elephanta caves.
At a glance
Gateway of India in brief
What to see
Highlights
The great arch
The central Indo-Saracenic archway and dome facing the Arabian Sea, about 26 metres high.
The harbour setting
The Apollo Bunder waterfront and the sweep of Mumbai Harbour behind it.
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
The landmark 1903 hotel facing the Gateway, part of the same iconic view.
Elephanta jetty
The departure point for the ferry to the rock-cut Elephanta caves across the harbour.
Historic threshold
The arch through which the last British troops ceremonially left India in 1948.
Visitor information
Our tips
Come at sunrise, the arch is near-empty and lit from the sea side, before the day's crowds and hawkers.
Pair it with the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel opposite and a Colaba heritage stroll.
If you want Elephanta, take an early ferry from the jetty here and return by mid-afternoon.
Good to know
Gateway of India, your questions
Why was the Gateway of India built?
To commemorate the 1911 visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay; the finished arch, designed by George Wittet, was completed in 1924.
What is its historical significance?
Built to welcome the British monarch, it is best remembered as the point through which the last British troops ceremonially left India in February 1948.
Can you go inside or up it?
It is an open public arch on the waterfront; you walk around and through it rather than climbing it, and there is no ticket.
What is nearby?
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel directly opposite and the ferry jetty for the Elephanta caves; we combine them on the Mumbai heritage walk.
Visit with us
See Gateway of India, properly.
A private, chauffeured visit with a licensed expert guide, timed for the best light and the smallest crowds. We fold Gateway of India into a wider Mumbai and West India itinerary, built entirely around you.
- Skip the queue where possible, at the right hour
- Licensed local guide who brings the story to life
- Private car and chauffeur, door to door
Plan your trip
Plan a visit to Gateway of India
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