Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, formerly Victoria Terminus, is the main station of south Mumbai and one of the most overwhelming railway stations in the world. Built between 1878 and 1888 by Frederick William Stevens in Victorian Gothic with Indo-Saracenic elements, it was meant to embody the British Empire during Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Towers, turrets, gargoyles and a central dome topped by a statue of Progress give it a cathedral-like air. In 1996 it was renamed after the Maratha king Shivaji and in 2004 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. More than 1,000 trains terminate here daily, with more than three million commuters passing through; the suburban platforms are notorious for their crush. The illuminated facade at dusk is unforgettable, and a small heritage gallery inside the station explains its construction. Part of the 2008 Mumbai attacks took place in the concourse and a quiet memorial plaque commemorates the victims.