About Rajabai Clock Tower
The Rajabai Clock Tower is an 85-meter Victorian Gothic clock tower located within the University of Mumbai's Fort campus in South Mumbai. Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and completed in 1878, it was modeled on London's Big Ben and funded by Premchand Roychand Jain. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai. The tower features Venetian-Gothic architecture, stained glass windows, and Kurla stone construction.
Visitors guide
Visitors can view the exterior of this 280-foot heritage clock tower from public areas around the University of Mumbai campus and Oval Maidan. The tower showcases intricate Victorian Gothic architecture with buff-colored Kurla stone, stained glass windows, and ornate detailing. Interior access is generally restricted and policy-driven. Visitors can photograph the tower's facade, observe its working clock mechanism from outside, and explore the surrounding UNESCO-listed Victorian Gothic ensemble in the Fort precinct.
Key highlights
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UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
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85-meter tall Victorian Gothic clock tower designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott
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Modeled on London's Big Ben and completed in 1878
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Features Venetian-Gothic fusion architecture with buff-colored Kurla stone
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Contains some of Mumbai's finest stained glass windows
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Named after Rajabai, mother of donor Premchand Roychand Jain
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Was Mumbai's tallest structure until 1961
History of Rajabai Clock Tower
Construction began on March 1, 1869, and was completed in November 1878 at a cost of ₹550,000. Designed by English architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, it was modeled on Big Ben. The tower was funded partly by Premchand Roychand Jain, founder of Bombay Stock Exchange, who named it after his blind mother Rajabai so she could know meal times by the bell chimes. It was Mumbai's tallest structure from 1878 to 1961. The tower underwent restoration from October 2013 to May 2015 and received UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2018.
Culture & Context
The tower represents colonial-era civic architecture and educational identity in Mumbai. It is integral to the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai UNESCO World Heritage Site, serving as the visual high point of the ensemble overlooking Oval Maidan. The naming reflects personal devotion and Jain cultural values of the donor family. The structure symbolizes Mumbai's 19th-century urban modernization and architectural heritage.