ଫୋର୍ଟ ୱିଲିୟମ, କଲିକତା

ଫୋର୍ଟ ୱିଲିୟମ ଭାରତୀୟ ରାଜ୍ୟ ପଶ୍ଚିମ ବଙ୍ଗ ର କଲିକତା ସ୍ଥିତ ଏକ ଦୁର୍ଗ । ଏହା ହୁଗୁଳି ନଦୀ ର ପର୍ବ ତଟ ଅଞ୍ଚଳ ରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ । ଏହାକୁ ବ୍ରିଟିଶ ମାନେ ନିର୍ମାଣ କରି ଇଂଲଣ୍ଡ ର ରାଜା ୱିଲିୟମ III ଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମାନାର୍ଥେ ନାମକରଣ କରିଥିଲେ । ଏହା ସାମ୍ନା ରେ କଲିକତା ର ବୃହତ୍ତମ ପଡିଆ " ମଇଦାନ" ଅବସ୍ଥିତ

ଇତିହାସ

There are actually two Fort Williams, the old and the new. The original was built in 1696 by the British East India Company under the supervision of John Goldsborough. Sir Charles Eyre started construction near the bank of the River Hooghly with the South-East Bastion and the adjacent walls. It was named after King William III in 1700. John Beard, his successor, added the North-East Bastion in 1701, and in 1702 started the construction of the Government House (Factory) at the centre of the fort. Construction ended in 1706. The original building had two stories and projecting wings. An internal guard room became the Black Hole of Calcutta.

Presidency of Fort William

Structure

The Fort is built of brick and mortar in the shape of an irregular octagon with an area 5 km². Five of its sides face landward, and three towards the Hooghly River. The design is that of a star fort, suited to defence against cannon, but from before the advent of explosive shells. It is surrounded by a dry moat 9 m deep and 15 m broad, which can be flooded but is designed as an area in which to use enfilade (or "flanking") fire against any attackers reaching the walls. There are six gates: Chowringhee, Plassey, Calcutta, Water Gate, St Georges and the Treasury Gate. There are similar forts at places like Thalassery in Kerala.^[୧] It has a 9-hole golf course currently.