The Taj Mahal is an outstanding architectural monument and one of the main attractions in India dating back to the Great Mogul period. The Taj was built as the mausoleum of Shah-Jahan's beloved wife - Mumtaz-Mahal, who died during childbirth. Shah Jahal himself was later also buried in the Taj Mahal. The word Taj Mahal translates as "The Greatest Palace": the Taj is in translation - a crown, a mahal - a palace.
Taj Mahal - history of creation
The history of the creation of one of the main attractions of India began in 1630. Taj Mahal was built on the banks of the Jamna River, south of the city of Agra. The Taj Mahal complex includes:
- minarets;
- mosque;
- jawab;
- The big gate.
Over 20,000 artisans and craftsmen worked on the construction of the Taj. The building lasted twelve years. The mausoleum-mosque combines the Persian, Indian, Islamic architectural styles. The height of the five-domed building is 74 meters, at the corners of the building four minarets rise. The minarets are tilted to the side so that, when destroyed, they do not damage the tomb of the shah and his wife.
The mausoleum is surrounded by a beautiful garden with a fountain and a swimming pool in which the whole building is reflected. The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, located in the city of Agra, is famous for its optical focus: if you go back to the exit, then the building seems huge compared to the surrounding trees. The center of the complex is the burial vault. It is a symmetrical structure with an arch, erected on a square pedestal and crowned with a large dome. The height of the main dome, built in the shape of a bulb, is impressive - 35 meters. On the tops of the domes are the traditional Persian figures.
What is the Taj Mahal made of?
The foundation consisted of wells filled with rubble stone. The materials were transported on a fifteen kilometer ramp with the help of bulls and carts. Water was extracted from the river by cable-bucket system. From a large reservoir, water rose into the distribution compartment, from where it was delivered to the construction site through three pipes. The cost of construction was 32 million rupees.
Separate attention deserves majestic decoration: white polished translucent marble with inlay from such gems as turquoise, agate, malachite. In total, twenty eight kinds of semiprecious and precious stones are encrusted in the walls of the tomb. The marble, from which the mausoleum was made, was brought from the quarries 300 kilometers from the city. In the daytime the walls of the mosque look white, at night - silvery, and at sunset - pink.
The construction of the Taj Mahal was attended by masters not only from India, but also from Central Asia, the Middle East, Persia. The designer of the main building is Ismail Afandi from the Ottoman Empire. There is a legend according to which on the other bank of the river Jamna there should be a copy of Taj, but only of black marble. The building was not finished. For a plot of 1.2 hectares replaced the soil, raised the site at 50 meters above the river.
Taj Mahal - interesting facts
According to legend, after the overthrow of his son Shah Jahan admired the Taj Mahal from the windows of his dungeon. An interesting fact is that the Humayun tomb in Delhi, similar to the Taj Mahal, is very similar to the Taj Mahal as a sign of a great love story between the spouses. And the burial vault in Delhi was built earlier, and Shah Jahan used the experience of building the tomb of the Mughal emperor during his erection. There is also a small copy of the Taj Mahal located in the city of Agra. It is the tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daul, built in 1628.
Since 1983, the Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to a survey conducted in 2007, the Taj Mahal entered the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
At present, there is a problem of shallowing of the Jamna river, due to which the mausoleum settles and cracks on the walls are formed. Also, because of the polluted air, the Taj's walls, which are famous for their whiteness, turn yellow. The building is cleaned with special clay.
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