The fountain was originally intended to be named after Sir Bartle Frere, the Governor of Bombay, but he reportedly declined the honor.
The statue of the goddess Flora is carved from Portland stone imported directly from Dorset, England.
The fountain was built on the site of the former Church Gate, one of the three gates of the old Bombay Fort.
It is an example of the British colonial architectural style, specifically Neo-Classical and Gothic fusion.
The fountain was restored by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to remove layers of grime and oil paint applied during the 1960s.
The base of the monument features intricate relief carvings depicting architectural and botanical motifs.
Flora Fountain is an ornate stone architectural landmark situated at the southern end of Mahatma Gandhi Road in Mumbai. Commissioned in 1864 and completed in 1869, the structure features a statue of the Roman goddess Flora atop a fountain designed by R. Norman Shaw. It was constructed using Portland stone brought from England at a cost of 47,000 rupees. The fountain marks the intersection of five major roads in the historic Fort district. In 2019, the fountain underwent an extensive conservation project that restored its original water-spraying mechanisms and white-stone finish. It serves as a focal point of the Kala Ghoda precinct, known for its colonial-era architecture.
From the sidewalk across from the fountain to capture the full vertical scale and the surrounding colonial-style building facades.
Visit during the early morning to avoid the heavy traffic that circles the fountain throughout the day.
Combine your visit with a walking tour of the nearby colonial heritage buildings in the Fort and Kala Ghoda districts.
Use the pedestrian island cautiously as the fountain is surrounded by high-volume traffic on all sides.
Do not attempt to cross the busy traffic circles on foot; use designated crosswalks to reach the central island.
