The Residency Lucknow – British Residency / Residency Complex Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow

The Residency Lucknow – British Residency or  Residency Complex

The Residency, a famous tourist landmark in Lucknow, is located at the heart of the city – Qaisar Bagh. It is surrounded by various monuments like Tehri Kothi, Shaheed Smarak, and High Court Building. Constructed in the reign of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan between 1780 and 1800 AD, it was later used as a residence of the British Resident General. It now stands as historical ruins being a witness of the Siege of Lucknow that took place during the First War of Independence in 1857.

Architectural Style of The Residency Lucknow

The Residency, also known as the British Residency and Residency Complex, is a group of many buildings enclosed in a compound. The walls of the main building still stand shattered by the cannon shots. Post-Independence, little changes were made to preserve it as a part of history. The Residency is adorned with beautiful lawns and flowerbeds.
 

The ruined church has a cemetery that holds graves of 2000 men, women, and children. Among these graves lies the grave of Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence with an epitaph scribbled with the line “Here lies the son of Empire who tried to do his duty.” Nearby his grave, another epitaph reads, “Do not weep my children, for I am not dead, but am sleeping here.”

Entry fees and Timings of The Residency Lucknow

The Residency is open to its visitors on weekdays and weekends between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm. The best time to visit it is in the evening as a light and sound show is held displaying its history each evening. The entry fees for Indians are INR 5 per head and INR 100 per head for foreigners.