| Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal
Located In:

India

History:

The Taj Mahal is probably the most famous building in the world. Its picture has covered many magazines and travel brochures, but the Taj Mahal looks a lot better in reality than on a picture. Even those who come to see Taj with high expectations never fail to be overwhelmed by by its beauty.

The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan to enshrine the body of his wife, Arjumand Bann Begum (Mumtaz Mahal) after she died in 1630 at Burhanpur in South India. The construction started in 1632 and was completed in 1653. The workforce of some 20,000 included craftsmen from Italy, Persia and Turkey. It is built by the bank of Yamuna river not very far from the Agra Fort.

The whole structure is more than 55 meters high built in white and yellow marble. The Taj Mahal is flanked by two smaller red stone buildings, one a mosque and the other a rest house. Most people spend several hours around the Taj or in the gardens, which are very well maintained. The garden has a geometrical structure, and is believed to symbolise paradise.

To enter the mausoleum, you need to put a cloth around your feet like for any temple in India. You can rent it for a small fee just before the stairs leading to the tomb. Inside the mausoleum, it is surprisingly chilly. The interiors are rather dark, and on the sight there is not much to see, but if you take close look you will see all the fine marble cravings decorated with many precious and semiprecious stones of any color (sapphire, topaz, coral). If you are accompanied by a guide, he will certainly show you that a lot of the interior decorations are made of transparent marble. In the middle of the room inside the Taj, a screen of carved marble surrounds the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, also built exclusively in marble, with(calligraphy and other) inlay work.