Location: ½ Kilometer from Kashmiri Gate just behind St. James Church, which is located at the intersection of Church Road and Lothian Road
Famous as: The grand bungalow of British Commissioner William Fraser, presently administrative office of Northern Railway
Admission: Restricted, prior permission required
Open: On all days except Sunday and government holidays
How to Reach: Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located near Kashmiri Gate, Inter State Bus Terminal in Old Delhi or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis or metro rail.
Photography charges: nil but prior permission required
Nearest Railway Station: Old Delhi Railway Station
Nearest Metro Station: Kashmiri Gate
Functional Metro Station: Kashmiri Gate
Nearest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport
Time required for sightseeing: 45 minutes
Located just behind the sacred St James Church stands an off white large domed building popularly known as William Fraser Bungalow and currently an administrative office of Northern Railway. Built on the 'tykhana' or cellar made of Lakhori bricks of Ali Mardan Khan palace, Shah Jahan's senior general and one of the most important 'Omrahs' in the Mughal Empire, the Bungalow was constructed in 1803. It was the residence of the Deputy Resident of Delhi, Sir William Fraser, when British first came to Delhi in 1803. Sir William Fraser was known for his likings for Indian social life and his Indian friends. He was appointed Resident of Delhi in 1828.
There are two separate blocks, which forms the whole building. The first block, which is attached to the portico, has four octagonal corner turrets. It is a low rectangular building and it leads to the dome chamber that was added later. The second block, which was also the part of the original building, stands on the far side of the first block. The special feature of the second block is that it has a bow-fronted verandah and it once faced the Yamuna River. The building suffered damages during the first war of independence. It was repaired later and has been well maintained till date. The building was awarded the Heritage Award in 1997 in which it was described that the "building seems to be a fusion of late Victorian and Indo-Saracenic style" and "is maintained well with minimum alteration".
Nearby Tourist Attractions
Kashmiri Gate, Dara Shikoh Library, St James Church, Lothian Cemetery, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Salimgarh Fort, St James Church and Rajghat.
Nearby Places to Eat
Karim Hotel, Ghantewala sweet shop, food stalls near Jama Masjid, Paranthewali gali, Natraj hotel, Chor Bizarre of Broadway Hotel, Daryaganj's Flora, Peshwari, Moti Mahal Restaurant, Worker's canteen of Inter-State Bus terminal and many roadside food stalls are there for refreshment.
Nearby Shopping Venues
Chandni Chowk (curios, souvenirs, silver and glass bead jewellery) Nai Sarak (books), Chor bazaar (electronic goods), Daryaganj book market (on Sunday) and Chatta Chowk in Red Fort (traditional and contemporary jewellery and handicrafts)
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