Gujarat College

Gujarat Arts and Science College, popularly called Gujarat College, is one of the oldest colleges in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat College was founded by Mr. Hope in 1860 but later saw a period of inactivity. Sheth Ranchhodlal Chhotalal restarted the college in the 1870s and his family donated much land and the money for the construction of the Arts College, the science centre and other buildings. Engineer Himmatlal Dhirajram Bhachech who worked on the Ellis Bridge is one of the persons responsible for the architecture of the buildings.

Many notable people like Vikram Sarabhai, Kasturbhai Lalbhai and the poet Dalpatram studied here. Mahatma Gandhi also visited the college to encourage students to join the independence movement.

The architecture is largely European with arcades, stone columns, towers and timber roofing. The most impressive structure is the red-brick façade of the Arts College, the oldest extant building in the campus. The porch of the building is flanked by two wings with arcades on the ground floor. Stairs lead up in round castle-like towers to the upper floors.

To the left of the college, a chapel-like structure houses the Gandhi Hall which was built around 1920.