Golghar is a round building which came into existence after the devastating famine that struck the large states of Bengal, Bihar and parts of modern day Bangladesh 1770. Golghar was constructed under the orders of Lord Warren Hastings, the then Governor General of India, who decided to build a huge store house that would store grains for the British army. Golghar was designed and constructed by Captain John Garstin who was an engineer in East India Company. This granary has a storage capacity of 140000 tones. Located to the west of Gandhi Maidan in Patna this granary was completed in 20th July 1786. Since its construction the granary has been renovated for the first time in 2002. With two Spiral stair cases this granary has been one of the unique sites in Bihar which attract the tourist from all over the nation.
Golghar has been a popular for its peculiar structure which is designed in a Stupa formation. This hemispherical structure is based on a foundation of 125 meters with a height of 29metres. The building is pillar less and the walls are 3.6 meters thick. The building is surrounded with two spiral staircases which climb up to the top of the roof. It includes total 145 steps to reach the top of the granary. The top of the granary provides a fascinating view of entire Patna and River Ganga that flows nearby. At the time of its construction this was one of the tallest buildings in Patna. Though built as a granary Golghar was never completely filled with baggages. The most scientific reason is that the doors of the granary are supposed to open inwardly which shall be jammed if the granary is completely filled. As such a major part of the granary remains empty in spite of its capacity.
Thus, Golghar is one of the unique constructions of British Empire which was built with a completely new architecture. The Stupa style and spiral staircases of this granary have been the most attractive part of this building which has been appreciated by the tourists who visit the granary. More over this granary had been significant as it helped the Army to keep a watch on the surrounding areas of Patna.
