The Gateway of India is the first landmark that greets a tourist reaching Mumbai via sea route. Scottish architect George Wittet designed this twenty six meter high stone archway. Though the Gateway of India built with an objective to welcome King George V and Queen Mary in 1911 AD but, at the time of their arrival, they could only see a cardboard model of the monument, since the construction did not begin till 1915 AD. The foundation stone of the Gateway of India near Apollo Bandar in Mumbai was laid by Sir George Sydenham Clarke, the then in Governor of Bombay, on March 31, 1913. The final design, presented by Wittet, was approved on March 31, 1914. The construction of this colonial era monument was completed in 1924 AD.
Gateway of India is one of the several British era monuments which represent the legacy of Neo-Gothic architecture that has given Mumbai the status of a heritage city. This piece of architecture is exotic in the sense that imbibes tenets and features of Hindu, European and Islamic construction styles. The structure is inspired by sixteenth century Islamic architectural style prevalent in Gujarat. The decorative designs and embellishments are Hindu in nature. The pillars, angular shapes and Roman triumphal arch have definitely incorporated European facets of architecture.