Lucknow Charbagh Railway Station, Lucknow

Lucknow’s Charbagh Railway Station is not just a bustling transport hub-it’s a landmark steeped in architectural grandeur and historical legacy. Built between 1914 and 1923 under the design leadership of J. H. Horniman-with technical input from engineer Chaubey Mukta Prasad-the station was constructed to serve as the headquarters of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway.

The station’s red-and-white façade draws inspiration from Rajput, Mughal, and Awadhi architectural traditions, giving it the appearance of a grand palace. Its layout is famously said to look like a chessboard from above, with its domes and pylons resembling chess pieces. Along the extended forecourt is an expansive garden, adding serenity to the majestic structure and inviting visitors to pause and admire its scale and symmetry.

Architectural aficionados will also appreciate the station’s hidden engineering marvels-water reservoirs concealed within its curved façade and excellent acoustics that muffle train sounds for those standing outside. A symbolic time capsule-the foundation-stone casket placed inside a turret in August 1925-holds a coin and newspaper from that day.