La Martiniere Calcutta - Campus

Campus

The schools are located in south Calcutta, and face each other across Loudon Street.

The main boys school building was built in 1836 and is notable for its European Classical architecture, with the Round Chapel, ringed by imposing Corinthian pillars, at the heart of it. The Round Chapel has the honours boards listing Founders Day medalists on its walls. Above the Round Chapel is the beautiful library. The boarders dormitories are on the top floor. Classrooms are spread through the main building. The building was ruined by a cyclonic storm in June 1897 which destroyed a "stately Gothic porch" on the south side of the building and a blue dome "that rivalled the dome of the Calcutta General Post Office". The school chapel was in the dome. Lack of funds made it impossible to rebuild both these features. The building was modified in 1915 with the addition of a western wing (which now houses the Principal's office on the first floor).

The main playing field is ringed by buildings, with the junior school building (and swimming pool) to the West, Atmodya Bhavan (built in 1979 and comprising the main auditorium and middle school classrooms) to the South and the Constantia building (not owned by the school, but controversially built on school property on the "dhobi ghat") to the East. The sale of the "dhobi ghat", in 1982, was the subject of a long-drawn lawsuit, which went all the way to the Supreme Court in New Delhi, with the Old Martinians Association sueing the Trustees of the school for illegally selling school property. While the school benefitted financially from this transaction, the sale of the property and construction of the ugly Constantia building defaced the campus, and lead to the complete loss of grass on the playground. The court case soured relations between the Old Boys and the school Governors for a number of years.

The boys school used to have a very strong campus feel, with the Principal, House Masters and senior teachers living on campus. This added to the ethos of the school as the masters in residence supervised after-school, extra-curricular activity. However, in a controversial decision, the Governors of the school decided to no longer accommodate the senior teachers on campus, and now only the Principal has his quarters on campus.

There were five identical houses (known as "Panchkothi") along the north side of the campus. These were used as residences for the Principal, Vice Principal, House Masters and other teachers. Controversially, some of these old buildings have now been demolished in order to make way for new buildings. However, the Principal's residence still stands in its original incarnation.

A basketball court and a memorial of the founder, Major General Claude Martin, are also located in the north side.