Located 48 km north of
Kolkata, Bandel was built by the Portuguese in 1537. Bandel is an anglicized version of 'bandar', which means 'wharf' in Portuguese. It is known today for the 'Church of our Lady of Bandel,' built in 1599. Destroyed by Shah Jahan in 1640, it was rebuilt in 1660 by by Gomez de-Soto. It is the oldest Christian Church in
West Bengal and is dedicated to Nossa Senhora Di Rozario.
Chinsura (1 km) and Bansberia (4 km) are the nearby places worth visiting. Two legendary temples: Basudev and Hanseswari and the Imambara are famous.
Bandel Junction Railway Station at Bandel is an important station of the eastern railway.
