Every visitor to Mumbai eventually arrives at the Gateway of India — a soaring basalt arch on the Apollo Bunder waterfront, with the Arabian Sea lapping at its steps and the domes of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel across the road.
Built to commemorate the 1911 visit of King George V and Queen Mary, it took 13 years to complete. Ironically, the last British troops marched through it on 28 February 1948 as they left independent India.
A Fusion of Styles
Designed by Scottish architect George Wittet, the Gateway blends European triumphal-arch geometry with Indo-Saracenic detailing — lattice work, jharokhas and a central dome inspired by Gujarati Muslim architecture.
The arch itself is 26 metres tall. Behind it are four turrets and small halls that once housed the ceremonial guards.
The Departure of the Empire
On the morning of 28 February 1948 the last British troops in India — the 1st Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry — marched through the Gateway and boarded ships back to England. A plaque quietly marks the moment.
A generation later, on 26 November 2008, the Gateway was witness to a very different history when a group of ten Lashkar-e-Taiba gunmen came ashore in inflatable boats a hundred metres away, starting the Mumbai terror attacks.
The Living Waterfront
Today Apollo Bunder is thronged from dawn to well after midnight. Ferries depart from adjacent jetties to Elephanta Caves — a UNESCO Site an hour’s ride out into Mumbai harbour.
Balloon sellers, photographers, chana bhatura vendors and honeymooners jostle around the arch. It is one of Mumbai’s great free spectacles.
Visiting
The Gateway is always open, always free. The best time is early morning (6–8 am) before crowds and heat build, or after sunset when it is beautifully illuminated.
Combine your visit with the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel opposite, the Elephanta Caves ferry (₹200 return), Colaba Causeway shopping and lunch at Leopold Café.