With its distinctive Mughal arches, onion domes, and chhatri-topped towers, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton stands as a profound architectural bridge between England and India. Built in the late 18th century, the structure reflects a period when British royals, deeply fascinated by South Asian design, integrated those aesthetic elements into their own constructions while expanding their influence across the subcontinent.
The pavilion holds a complex history that evolved alongside the British monarchy. Queen Victoria, who reigned as the Empress of India, stayed at the residence during the 1830s and 1840s. However, she eventually abandoned the site, complaining that the arrival of railways and the subsequent influx of the working-class masses had spoiled the tranquility of her private seaside retreat. Upon her departure for Buckingham Palace, she famously took the pavilion’s intricate lotus-flower chandeliers with her.
The building's purpose shifted significantly during World War I, when it was repurposed as a military hospital to treat thousands of Indian soldiers fighting for the British cause. During this time, the grounds were adapted to accommodate diverse cultural needs, including the establishment of separate kitchens for different castes and the use of the east lawn by Muslim soldiers for prayers directed toward Mecca.
In the modern era, the pavilion has transitioned into a museum open to the public, having survived centuries of royal whims and at least one arson attack. The surrounding gardens, originally designed for King George IV, are currently undergoing restoration to serve as a vital green space for the city. These gardens have also become a venue for civic milestones, hosting some of the United Kingdom's first weddings following the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2014. For more Far-Flung Postcards, click here.
Mughal arches, onion domes, chhatri-topped towers. Living in India for five years, I'd Instagram my way through a maharaja's palace, Sikh temple or sultan's fort every weekend. I got used to strolling through scalloped arches. How I miss them!
Which is why I froze in my tracks last winter when I spotted this building in Brighton, on England's south coast. The day was drizzly gray, I'd gone for a bracing swim in the English Channel, and was walking back to the train station, shivering, when I was flooded with warm memories from India.
