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Tour Route 5
 This Tour Route
will take you
through Serai
Quarter to let you
feel the pulse of
the throbbing
business centre of
Karachi. It is the
area where Karachi's
financial
institutions during
the Colonial period
were located, and
which continues to
be the financial
heart of Karachi.
The Quarter was
named after Kafilah
Serai (lit. Caravan
inn) which had
existed prior to the
annexation.
At the time this
serai (inn) was
outside the original
city gates, so
located because
"Afghans, a
turbulent race,
whose kafilahs came
down to Kurrachee
and whom the quieter
folk of the town
thought well to keep
at a safe distance
from their city
gates." During the
1850s the remaining
part of the Quarter
continued to be
largely a wasteland.
However, with the
coming of the
railways, the
kafilahs were
discontinued, and by
1880s the area had
developed into a
thriving mercantile
centre.
While the Kafila
Camping Ground was
given over to Sindh
Madrassah, a school
built for the
education of Muslim
youth, mercantile
aristocracy
constructed grand
buildings on I.I.
Chundrigar Road
(McLeod Road),
turning it into a
thriving business
district. The
Railway Yard and
Railway Station
located on the
southern side of I.I.
Chundrigar Road
contributed
increasingly to the
prosperity of the
Quarter. As you walk
on I.I. Chundrigar
Road, you will find
several multistory
contemporary
buildings, built in
place of the
original Victorian
structures of the
merchant princes of
the city, which
abounded on this
street.
Serai Quarter
Karachi Cotton
Exchange Building
This historic
building is situated
close to the tall
tower of Habib Bank
Plaza, which can be
seen from a great
distance. The Plaza,
a contemporary
structure which was
built during 1960s,
is among the tallest
buildings of the
city. It is worth
going to the top of
this building for a
magnificent view of
the city.
The Cotton Exchange
Building, built in
1940, is among the
earliest and the
most imposing Art
Deco building in
Karachi. A couple of
decades earlier
Europe had
experienced the wave
of Art Deco, a style
most closely
associated with the
twenties and
thirties.
As is known. Art
Deco had brought a
breath of fresh air
by shedding the long
accepted
ornamentation and by
promoting rounded
corners and color
rendering on
facades— a style
that was initially
taken up
enthusiastically in
Karachi as suitable
for houses.
Cement companies
played a major role
in popularizing the
Art Deco style in
the subcontinent
through the
promotion of
reinforced concrete
as an appropriate
construction
material. When the
time came to
construct the Cotton
Exchange building in
the heart of the
commercial centre of
Karachi, it was
reinforced concrete
and Art Deco that
were selected, and
the massing of the
building was closely
modeled on the
Hoover factory built
in 1935 in Ealing,
England.
Beaufort Building
A few yards to the
west, in the
direction of
Merewether Tower,
and across the road
from the Cotton
Exchange Building,
you will find
Beaufort Building. A
two-storey
structure, it is
remarkable for the
modulation of its
facade and rhythmic
repetitive arches
which form the
arcading. At one
time Karachi's
business area was
adorned with scores
of such structures.
Now, alas, it is one
of the few buildings
of this genre that
can be found. With
its elegant
presence, Beaufort
Building is a
reminder of the
merchant princes who
reigned in the city
at the end of
nineteenth and early
twentieth century
when Karachi had
become the most
important port in
the subcontinent.
This Indo-Italianate
building, with its
deep Roman arcading
presents an
impressive
interweaving of
influences brought
by the rulers from
across the seas and
the indigenous
motifs woven into
the architectural
fabric of the
building by local
craftsmen.
Overseas Chamber
of Commerce
Turning right on
Talpur Road (Wood
Street), one block
away, you will
notice an impressive
neo-Classical
portico. The
building was
designed to reflect
the importance of
the powerful Chamber
of Commerce, whose
members once
controlled the
lucrative trade of
the city. The
portico's tall Doric
columns, stand on a
high podium and rise
to the full
two-storey of the
building.
Constructed of
dressed Gizri stone,
the building with
its selective use of
ornamentation exudes
a sedate and
distinguished
presence.
For a long time, the
Chamber had managed
to exist in a modest
structure, which
Charles Mules, the
first full-time
chairman of Karachi
Port Trust,
disparagingly
referred to as
'Early English
Cowshed Period'. It
was therefore
considered quite an
occasion when the
Chamber decided to
discard its
barrack-like office.
The importance of
the event was
underscored when the
building's
foundation stone was
laid by 'His
Excellency Lieut.
Col. The Rt. Honb'le
Sir Leslie Orme
Wilson, Governor of
Bombay' on December
9, 1924. On
completion it was
none other than
Viceroy and Governor
General of India,
'His Excellency the
Right Honourable
Baron Irwin of Kirby
Underdale', who
declared the
building open on 12
November, 1927. The
inscribed plaques of
the two events can
still be seen in the
building.
The Chamber itself
had been formed in
1860 and was an
important
institution of the
city, controlling
its economic
activity. By the
1920s, it had a
membership of 63 out
of which only seven
were locally owned
companies. The
importance of the
Overseas Chamber of
Commerce that
occupies this
building is no less
today, representing
as it does all the
multinational
companies that
operate in Pakistan.
Karachi Chamber
of Commerce (Indian
Merchants'
Association)
The roads here are
choked with traffic.
But it is worth the
trouble to locate
the Mughal-revival
building of Karachi
Chamber of Commerce
and the Indo-Gothic
Sindh Madrassah
buildings. Turning
right from Talpur
Road (Wood Street)
on Sharah-e-Liaquat
(Frere Road), and a
block away, at the
junction with
Aiwan-e-Tajarat (Nicoll
Road), the lively
facade of Karachi
Chamber of Commerce,
or Aiwan-e-Tajarat
as it is also known,
can be seen.
Located in the
vicinity of the
neo-Gothic Sindh
Madrassah and
neo-Classical
Overseas Chambers of
Commerce, the
Karachi Chamber
presents yet another
interesting style of
architecture. Built
later than the above
two, but equally
important, is this
building with a
Mughal air, which
had, prior to 1947,
housed the Indian
Merchants'
Association.
Where Overseas
Chamber relies on
Ancient Greece &
Rome for its
architectural
expression, Karachi
Chamber building
presents Mughal
imagery, designed as
it is by the first
Muslim architect of
Karachi, Ahmad
Husain Agha, who
specialized in
Mughal-revival
style, and created
such favorites as
Hindu Gymkhana and
Mohatta Palace.
It is a delightful
building, relying on
a combination of
Mughal style
doorways, chattris
andjharokas. Built
inboth Gizri and
Jodhpur stone, it
was a combination
much favored by Agha
and used in his
other buildings as
well. A historical
fact adding much to
the importance of
this building is
that the foundation
stone was laid by
the Indian leader
Mahatnia Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi in
1935.
Sindh Madrassah
Buildings Cluster
Although just across
the road from
Karachi Chamber of
Commerce, the
historic buildings
of Sind Madrassah
are totally hidden
from view. The shops
that have been built
on the boundary wall
fully camouflage
this important
institution.
Proceeding a short
distance on
Shahrah-e-Liaquat (Frere
Road) you will
arrive at the
enormous gate. Since
the gate is usually
closed, you will
need to be vigilant,
for it is easy to
miss the oldest
Muslim educational
institution in
Sindh.
Apart from its
historic value as
the first school to
encourage the
education of Western
science among
Muslims, the
buildings themselves
are of a singular
character. Inspired
by Sir Syed Ahmed
Khan's Aligarh
Muslim Association,
it was founded in
1885 as a high
school for the
education of 'Musalman
boys' by Khan
Bahadur Hassanally
Effendi Bey Majidi,
President of 'Sindh
Mahomedan
Association'.
You will enjoy
entering the portals
of this unique
institution, which
educated many
luminaries of Sindh
including
Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The large playground
is bordered by
several interesting
structures, the most
significant of which
is the original
Madrassah (school)
building. The
foundation stone was
laid by Viceroy
Dufferin on November
14, 1887 when "the
whole of Karachi
attended the
function the like of
which [was] not seen
again in the city."
The building was
completed in 1889 at
a total cost of Rs.
197,188, half of
which was
contributed by the
government, while
the remainder was
met by contributions
from Local Boards
and private
subscriptions, from
the Nawab of
Junagadh and Nizam
of Hyderabad Deccan.
The building was
designed by James
Strachan, the famous
engineer of Karachi
Municipality in
'Domestic Gothic' or
Indo-Gothic style,
considered closest
to local
architectural
traditions. Inspired
equally by Oxbridge
quads and atrium
form prevalent in
the subcontinent,
this is one of two
buildings by
Strachan based on a
courtyard form, the
other being Empress
Market.
The deep arcaded
verandahs,
encircling the
courtyard, provide
access to
classrooms. The
arcading itself
employs a repetitive
use of Early English
arches on ground
floor and Tudor
arches on the upper
level, providing
depth and character
to this fine
institutional
building. The whole
construction is
carried out in the
local buff colored
Gizri stone.
Mosques
An interesting
feature of the
school building are
two mosques, built
at two of its
corners to provide
praying facilities
to its students.
These mosques are
attached to the main
Madrassah building.
Hostel Buildings
Although not of the
same quality or
character, you might
like to also visit
the boarding houses
for students,
bordering on the
opposite side of the
playing field:
'Boarding House for
Young Talpurs'
completed in 1901,
Hassanally Hostel
built in 1909
through private
subscription and the
Khairpur Hostel
completed in 1910
with funds provided
by the Mir of
Khairpur.
Sindh Madrassah
Library
A charming building
that you should not
miss in the compound
of Sindh Madrassah
is the Library.
Originally it was
the Principal's
Bungalow and was
built at the same
time as the main
Madrassah building.
In 1985, the
building was slated
for demolition but
was fortunately
saved by the timely
intervention of
Nisar Effendi,
grandson of the
founder, with
support of the
Heritage Foundation.
State Bank of
Pakistan Annexes
(Bank of India)
The remaining
historic buildings
on this Tour Route
are located on
I.I.Chundrigar Road,
and you will have to
brave the traffic
congestion to return
there.
Technically located
in Railway Quarter,
opposite Serai
Quarter and facing
I.I. Chundrigar Road
(McLeod Road) at the
junction of Saleh
Muhammad Street (Dunnolly
Road), is located a
splendid imperial
building in pink
Jodphur stone. Set
back from the road,
it stands out from
its surroundings
because of its
beautifully
orchestrated facade
elements and its
pediment-less
neo-Classical
portico. Built
during the 1920s,
this building is
symptomatic of the
changing policy of
Bombay Government
towards Karachi by
permitting
construction of some
memorable buildings
designed by the
Consulting
Architect's office
of Bombay
Presidency. Known as
Bank of India before
Independence, the
building was
appropriately
constructed in the
heart of Karachi's
mercantile and
business centre. The
building relies
heavily on classical
symbolism, employing
a raised podium and
simplified
entablature for
dignified
expression. This
building is among
the first structures
in Karachi to use
Jodhpur stone, which
has lent the
building its soft
pink hue.
Next to the historic
structure stands the
contemporary
building of the
State Bank of
Pakistan, among the
first office towers
built after
Independence.
Emirates Bank
(formerly Lloyd's
Bank)
In the direction of
Merewether Tower, at
the junction of I.I.
Chundrigar Road (Bunder
Road) and Stock
Exchange Road (Kattyan
Road), technically
located in Railway
Quarter, stands a
well conserved and
well-maintained pink
Jodhpur stone
building, now
housing the Emirates
Bank. Built by the
British Lloyd's Bank
during the 1920s,
this handsome
building provided a
grand home to one of
the most famous
banking houses of
the time.
The three-storey
building is
comparatively simple
in character,
employing
ornamentation and
detailing in its
curved corner to
emphasize its
entrance. The
circular columns of
the entrance on
ground floor,
translate into a
deep arcade at the
top level. A chajja
(overhang) with
brackets defines the
base of the second
floor, and a simple
molded cornice
creates interest and
charm in this
unusual building.
Merewether Tower
As you approach the
confluence of I.I.
Chundrigar Road
(McLeod Road) and
M.A. Jinnah Road (Bunder
Road), you cannot
but be struck by the
amazing quality of
this elegant spire.
One of the most
prominent landmarks
of Karachi, it is
affectionately
referred to as
'Tower'.
This English
Medieval styled
Merewether Memorial
employs the form of
an Eleanor Cross and
was designed by the
Municipality
Engineer, James
Strachan, to evoke
memories of medieval
England. Exploiting
the high degree of
craftsmanship
available in
Karachi, the tower,
built in buff
coloured Gizri
stone, shows a
heightened
sensitivity to
detailing and an
emphasis on carving
and decoration. The
Tower was named
after Merewether,
who served as
'Commissioner-in-Sinde'
from 1868 to 1877,
and who, according
to the famous writer
Richard Burton, had
carried out his
'distinguished
career' for over
thirty years in
Sindh.
The Memorial Tower
stands on a platform
44 feet square and
rises to a height of
102 feet. It
prominently displays
clocks on all four
sides, which are
situated at the base
of the spire, 70
feet from the
ground. The Memorial
took eight years to
complete and was
handed over to the
Municipality in 1892
by then
Commissioner-in-Sinde,
Evan James. The
tower is maintained
by the Karachi
Metropolitan
Corporation and was
restored some years
ago.
Tour Route 1
Tour Route 2
Tour Route 3
Tour Route 4
Tour Route 5
Tour Route 6
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