The Residency

The Residency in Lucknow is one of the most historically charged and evocative ruins in India — the site of the famous Siege of Lucknow during the 1857 revolt, when a small British garrison held out for 87 days against a much larger rebel force. The complex of ruined buildings, including the main Residency, the Begum Kothi, and various outbuildings, was left in its battle-damaged state as a memorial. The ruins are preserved exactly as they fell, with cannonball marks still visible on the walls. The adjacent cemetery contains graves of those who died during the siege. The complex is a moving and sobering heritage site maintained by the ASI.