Introducing Flora Fountain the first in our series of never-seen-before photos of UNESCO award-winning historic landmarks. Experience the iconic Mumbai monument in our specially curated slideshow. Byline courtesy: Fiona Fernandez, all pictures courtesy/Ashish Raje, Bipin Kokate UNESCO AwardsThe UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation is an award that aims to recognise those individuals and organisations who have successfully helped restore heritage structures. It also aims to encourage private property owners to undertake such projects within their communities. This year, the jury reviewed 57 entries from as many as 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Three heritage structures from Mumbai — Flora Fountain at Fort, Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue at Fort, Our Lady of Glory Church at Byculla along with Vikram Sarabhai Library at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad were awarded at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards
Updated On: 2019-10-15 05:00 PM IST
Inaugurated in 1869, the Flora Fountain is a fusion of water, architecture and sculpture made of Portland stone and was dedicated to Governor Bartle Frere. The statue flanking the top of the fountain is of Flora, the Roman Goddess of Abundance from where it derives its name.
The three-tiered fountain was commissioned by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India and was built by the Esplanade Fee Fund Committee at a total cost of Rs 47,000, with a donation of Rs 20,500 by Seth Cursetjee Furdonjee Parekh.
The total height of the fountain is (approx) 33 feet while Lady Flora’s height is about seven feet.
On the lower tier are four statues seated in niches on the four corners, depicting ladies in four different attires. These four ladies are allegorical figures representing the industrial, cereal, plant and edible fruit products of India.
Restoration of Flora Fountain was undertaken in phases and was thrown open to the public last year.
Rs 3.7 crore was spent on restoring the Flora Fountain
In picture: Tramlines that were discovered near the site are now on display as part of a public attraction
In picture: A view of the iconic Flora Fountain in Mumbai's Fort area with the water from spouts in full flow.
Detailed sketch of Flora Fountain. COURTESY/Vikas Dilawari Architects
Conservation Architect Vikas Dilawari during the restoration process at the topmost level of the fountain. Dilawari and his team comprising Altaf Muwal, Prajakta Deshpande, Lester Silviera and consultant Kiran Bhavsar have been closely with the other experts to set a high benchmark in restoration
