Taj Mahal in memory of whom. Taj Mahal temple - legend, history and interesting facts. Architectural features of the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal- one of the most beautiful palaces not only in, but throughout the world; mosque-mausoleum in Agra, dedicated to the beloved wife of Shah Jahan I - Mumtaz Mahal. Thanks to the verified architecture, the mausoleum turned out to be surprisingly beautiful and organic. If you look at its snow-white domes for a long time, it seems that it seems to be floating in the air. Taj Mahal is included in the version of our site.

In fact, this palace is the personification of beautiful and lasting love, about which there are many legends among the people. According to one of them this romantic story began after the padishah met Mumtaz Mahal in the city market and was so blinded by her beauty that he offered to become his third wife, later beloved. According to another version, the girl was a distant relative of the ruler on the maternal side, or the daughter of his father's vizier.

In any case, Sha-Jahan was so attached to her that he did not part until her death. Together they lived for about 17 years. The girl died while giving birth to their 14th child. The name of Mumtaz Mahal was named by her father-in-law, the padishah Jahangir, and it meant "decoration of the palace." They say that after the death of his beloved Shah Jahan never recovered. As a sign of his endless love, he ordered the construction of a mausoleum for her. He himself was also buried in the Taj Mahal, but much later.

The construction of the palace lasted from 1631 to 1653. More than 20 thousand workers worked on it, among which were the best calligraphers from Persia and Syria, Indian inlay masters, sculptors from Bukhara and other specialists. They say that the doors were originally cast from pure silver, but for so many centuries, the Taj Mahal has been looted more than once. Despite this, the palace has not lost its former gloss and is ranked among the most beautiful buildings in the world.

The place for construction on the banks of the Jumna River was chosen with the exact expectation of a long existence. For so many years, not a single earthquake has damaged the palace. The architecture of the Taj Mahal shows a mixture of Islamic, Indian and Persian architecture, which gives it a special royalty. An irrigation canal leads to the tomb, in which the contours of the structure are reflected. The height of the main dome is 73 meters. Despite this, the mausoleum seems surprisingly elegant and light.

Tourists visiting India certainly go to Agra to look at this "pearl" islamic architecture, take a picture of it and even visit the inner chambers, where two white marble sarcophagi covered with calligraphy are kept. These are the tombs of Shah Jahan and his beloved wife. The Crowned Palace looks especially spectacular in the morning haze of fog, at night and during the flood of the river. The gardens adjacent to the building are no less picturesque.

Millions of tourists come here every year. The doors of the Taj Mahal are open every day except Friday and the month of Ramadan. You can get from Delhi to Agra both by train and by bus. The distance between cities is about 250 km. From Goa is better just get there by plane.

Taj Mahal- this mosque, combined with a mausoleum, is located in Agra on the banks of the local river Jamna. It is not known for certain who exactly is the architect this building. This building was built by order of Shah Janakh, who is a direct descendant of the famous Tamerlane. The Padishah of the Mughal Empire erected the Taj Mahal for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to 14 children. Subsequently, Shah Jahan himself was buried here.

The Taj Mahal (also known simply as "Taj") is the most famous example of a style of architecture that originated in Mongolia. It absorbed elements of Islamic, Indian and Persian styles of architecture, as there are many borrowings in the culture of the Mongols. Taj Mahal received object status world heritage UNESCO in the 83rd year of the twentieth century. He is considered a universally recognized masterpiece and a pearl of Muslim culture, which is admired by people from different countries planets.

The Taj Mahal is a structurally integrated complex. Its construction began in 1632, and the work was completed only by 1653, that is, it lasted more than two decades. About twenty thousand craftsmen and ordinary workers worked on the construction of the facility. The construction was also led by the leading architects of that time, but it is not known for certain who exactly made the main contribution to the final result. Creator of this famous building Lakhauri is usually considered, but some evidence suggests that the chief architect was a native of Turkey, Mohammed Efendi. In any case, this question is unlikely to be answered.

Inside the mausoleum you can see the tombs of the Shah and his wife. But in fact, they are not buried under the tombs, but a little lower, underground.

The Taj Mahal is a five-domed building with a height of 74 meters. It was built on a platform with four minarets at the corners. Minarets have a slight slope away from the tombs, so as not to damage it in case of collapse.

Nearby is a garden with fountains. The walls are made of translucent marble, which had to be brought here from afar. The masonry is made with inlaid gemstones. Thanks to this, the walls look snow-white in daylight, appear pink at dawn, and have a silver tint on a moonlit night.

The construction of this building took place over a long period of time and more than twenty thousand people from different parts of the country, as well as from other countries of Asia and the Middle East managed to work at the facility. Each of them contributed to the final result.

The Taj Mahal was erected just south of Agra, which was surrounded by a high wall that guarded the city. Shah Jahan was personally involved in the selection of the site and exchanged a huge palace for it, which is located in the very center of Agra. As a result, construction began on a site of approximately 1.2 hectares. To begin with, the earth was dug up and the soil was replaced, and then a platform was built, which rose five meters above the level of the bank of the local river. Later, the construction of the foundation began, which was to become the basis of a massive building, and during its construction, the most modern technologies at that time were used. Even forests were thoroughly built, which were not bamboo, as usual, but brick. They turned out to be so massive that the craftsmen were afraid that after the completion of construction they would have to be dismantled for several years. But everything turned out a little differently. Giving says that Shah Jahan announced that anyone can take as much brick as he wants and the scaffolding was dismantled almost overnight, since in those days it was a popular building material.

Marble was transported using a special ramp built from compressed earth. Thirty bulls dragged each block along it to the construction site. The blocks were raised to the desired level using specially designed mechanisms. The proximity of the river also made it possible to quickly extract water. A special cable system made it possible to fill the tanks as quickly as possible, after which water from the tanks was transported directly to the construction site through specially laid pipes. A lot of work has been done in this regard.

The tomb and platform were built in 12 years, and all other parts of the complex were built for another ten. The construction was divided into stages, and largely due to this, it was possible to achieve the timely delivery of all objects. Forces were not scattered, but accumulated on a specific type of work.

Taj Mahal in 1865

Building materials were brought here from all over India and even from the neighboring powers of Asia, so more than one thousand elephants were used to transport them. The Taj Mahal was indeed built by the whole country, and a huge amount of effort, time and money was spent on its construction.

Taj Mahal in 1890

From the very beginning of its existence, the Taj Mahal has been not only a source of universal admiration, but also an excellent occasion for creating myths and legends based on it. As you know, any beautiful story surrounds many accompanying narratives, some of which are true, and others are complete nonsense and fiction. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's true and what's fiction. What exactly is true, and the number of legends themselves is incalculable, we will focus on the most remarkable.

The most common myth is that the Taj Mahal was not to be the only mausoleum. According to the legend, another mausoleum was to appear opposite it, but already made of black marble. A new building was supposed to grow on the other side of the river, but certain circumstances prevented this. So, they say that Shah Jahan simply did not have time to finish the construction due to the fact that he was overthrown from the throne by his own son and legitimate heir Aurangzeb. This legend was supported by the fact that on the opposite bank of the river, ruins of black marble were indeed discovered over time. But everything fell into place at the end of the twentieth century, when excavations and research made it clear that black marble was actually just white marble blackened from time to time. At the same time, the pond in the Moon Garden (according to the legend, there should have been a second mausoleum there) was reconstructed, it turned out that the reflection of the Taj Mahal in the water of the pond looks black and can be seen without problems. Perhaps the pond was built just for this purpose.

There is no evidence that after the completion of the construction, the hands of the architect were cut off so that he could not recreate such beauty. According to another version, the builders signed a special agreement that they would never build anything like the Taj Mahal. Similar legends accompany almost any famous building and are pure fantasy.

Another legend concerns that in the mid-nineteenth century, William Bentinck planned to completely destroy the mausoleum and sell its marble at a major auction. Most likely, this myth arose after Bentinck sold marble from the construction of one of the forts in the city of Agra, but he had no such plans for the tomb.

The reality is often embellished by guidebooks, according to which, Shah Jahan, after he was overthrown by his son, admired the Taj Mahal straight from behind the bars of his dungeon. In fact, there was nothing of the kind, since Shah Jahan was kept in more than comfortable conditions in the Red Fort, located in Delhi. From there, the Taj Mahal is, of course, impossible to see. Here, the narrators deliberately replace the Delhi Red Fort with the one located in Agra. You can really see the Taj from the Red Fort in Agra. It turns out that most of the myths and stories about the famous mausoleum are nothing more than the most common fiction, albeit very beautiful.

Rabindranath Tagore described the Taj Mahal as "a tear on the cheek of immortality", Rudyard Kipling as "the personification of all that is immaculate", and its creator Emperor Shah Jahan said that "the sun and moon shed tears from their eyes". Every year, tourists twice the size of Agra's population pass through the gates of the city for once in their lives to see the building, rightfully called by many the most beautiful in the world. Few leave disappointed.

This is truly a monument, beautiful in all seasons. There are those who love the view of the Taj Mahal on Sharad Purnima, the first full moon after the monsoons, on a cloudless October evening when the light is at its clearest and most romantic. Others love to look at him in the midst of the most heavy rains, as the marble turns translucent and its reflection in the canals of the gardens surrounding the mausoleum blurs into the rippling water. But it makes a fascinating impression at any time of the year and at any moment of the day. At dawn, its color changes from milky to silvery and pink, and at sunset it looks like it was made of gold. Look at it also in the glare of noon, when it is blindingly white.

Story

The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to his 14th child in 1631. Mumtaz's death broke the Emperor's heart. It is said that he turned gray overnight. Construction of the Taj Mahal began the following year. It is believed that the main building was built in 8 years, but the entire complex was completed only in 1653. Shortly before the completion of construction, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and imprisoned in the Agra Fort, where he spent the remaining days looking at his creation through the dungeon window. After his death, in 1666, Shah Jahan was buried here, next to Mumtaz.

In total, about 20,000 people from India and Central Asia. Specialists were brought from Europe to make the most beautiful carved marble panels and decorate them in the Pietra Dura style. (inlay using thousands of semi precious stones) .

In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and today looks as immaculate as it was after construction was completed, although a large-scale restoration was carried out at the beginning of the 20th century. In 2002, as the building gradually lost its color due to the severe pollution of the city, it was refreshed using an ancient recipe for a cosmetic face mask used by Indian women to preserve the beauty of the skin. This mask is called multani mitti - a mixture of earth, cereals, milk and lemon. Now, within a few hundred meters around the building, it is allowed to drive only on environmentally friendly vehicles.

Architecture

It is not known exactly who exactly was the architect of the Taj Mahal, but the honor of its creation is often attributed to an Indian architect of Persian origin named Ustad Ahmad Lahori. Construction began in 1630. From Persia Ottoman Empire and European countries, the best masons, craftsmen, sculptors and calligraphers were invited. The complex, located on the southwestern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, consists of five main buildings: these are the darvaza, or main gate; bageecha, or garden; masjid, or mosque; the nakkar zana, or rest house, and the rauza, the mausoleum itself, where the tomb is located.

The unique style of the Taj Mahal combines elements of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. Among the attractions of the complex - a marble floor in a black and white checkerboard pattern, four 40-meter minarets at the corners of the mausoleum and a majestic dome in the center.

Surahs from the Qur'an written around arched openings appear to be the same size no matter how far from the floor they are - this optical illusion is created by using larger font and letter spacing as the height of the inscription increases. There are others in the Taj Mahal mausoleum optical illusions. The imposing pietra dura decorations include geometric elements, as well as images of plants and flowers, traditional in Islamic architecture. The level of craftsmanship and the complexity of the work on the monument become clear when you start to look at small details: for example, in some places more than 50 precious inlays are used on one decorative element measuring 3 cm.

The gate to the gardens of the mausoleum can be admired as a masterpiece in its own right, with graceful marble arches, domed chambers on four corner towers, and two rows of 11 small chattris. (umbrella domes) above the entrance. They are the perfect frame for a first look at the whole ensemble.

Char Bagh (four gardens)- an integral part of the Taj Mahal, in a spiritual sense symbolizing paradise, where Mumtaz Mahal ascended, and in an artistic sense emphasizing the color and texture of the mausoleum. Dark cypress trees enhance the brilliance of the marble, and the channels (on the rare occasions when they are full), converging on a wide central viewing platform, not only provide an excellent second image of the monument, but also, since they reflect the sky, add a soft illumination from below at dawn and dusk.

Unfortunately, the vandals stole all the treasures of the tomb, but still the delicate beauty of roses and poppies was preserved in richly inlaid slabs of onyx, green chrysolite, carnelian and agate of various colors.

On either side of the mausoleum are two almost identical buildings: to the west is a mosque, to the east is a building that may have served as a pavilion for guests, although its main purpose was to provide complete symmetry to everything architectural ensemble. Each of them looks great - try to look at the pavilion at sunrise, and at the mosque at sunset. Exit also to the back of the Taj Mahal, to the terrace, from where you can see the Jumna River all the way to the Agra Fort. At dawn the best (and cheap) the viewpoint is on the opposite bank of the river, where, according to the popular (but probably unreliable) According to legend, Shah Jahan planned to install a completely black marble mirror reflecting the Taj Mahal. A string of boats lined up along the shore, ready to transport tourists across the river.

The Taj Mahal itself stands on a raised marble platform at the north end of the ornamental gardens, back side to the Yamuna River. The elevated position means that "only the sky is higher" - this is an elegant move by the designers. Decorative 40-meter white minarets adorn the building from all four corners of the platform. After more than three centuries, they leaned a little, but perhaps this was deliberately conceived. (installation at a slight angle from the building) so that in the event of an earthquake, they would fall not on the Taj Mahal, but away from it. The red sandstone mosque on the west side is an important temple for the Muslims of Agra.

The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal was erected from translucent white marble blocks, on which flowers are carved and a mosaic of thousands of semi-precious stones is laid out. This is an excellent example of symmetry - four identical sides of the Taj with magnificent arches, decorated with scrollwork in the style of pietra dura and citations from the Koran, carved in calligraphic script and decorated with jasper. The whole structure is crowned by four small domes surrounding the famous central bulbous dome.

Immediately below the main dome is the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal, a tombstone (false) fine workmanship, surrounded by perforated marble slabs, decorated with dozens of different semi-precious stones. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan, who was buried by his overthrown son Aurangzeb in 1666, was also installed here, breaking the symmetry. Light penetrates into the central room through carved marble screens. The real graves of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are in a closed room on the ground floor under the main hall. They cannot be seen.

Requiem in marble

Mahal means "palace", but in this case Taj Mahal is a diminutive of Mumtaz Mahal ("gem of the palace"), which was given to Shah Jahan's cousin when she married him. The daughter of his mother's brother, she was his constant companion long before he received the throne, and later she was the first lady among hundreds of others in his harem. During 19 years of marriage, she bore him 14 children and died in childbirth of the last child in 1631.

Legend has it that Shah Jahan's beard - he was 39 years old, only a year older than his wife - turned white virtually overnight after her death, and he continued to mourn for several years, dressing in white on each anniversary of her death. The construction of the Taj Mahal took twelve years of his tireless work with a Persian architect and craftsmen brought from Baghdad, Italy and France - a period that can be considered the highest expression of his grief. “The Empire has no sweetness for me now,” he wrote. “Life itself has lost all taste for me.”

Myths about the Taj Mahal

Taj - Hindu temple

A popular theory is that the Taj was actually a Shiva temple built in the 12th century. and was later transformed into the famous Mumtaz Mahal mausoleum, owned by Purushottam Nagesh Oak. He asked to open the sealed basement rooms of the Taj to prove his theory, but in 2000 Supreme Court India rejected his request. Purushottam Nagesh also states that the Kaaba, Stonehenge and the papacy are also of Hindu origin.

Black Taj Mahal

This is the story that Shah Jahan planned to build a twin of the Taj Mahal from black marble on opposite side rivers as his own mausoleum, and this work was begun by his son Aurangzeb after he imprisoned his father in the fortress of Agra. Intensive excavations in the Mehtab Bagh area have not confirmed this assumption. No traces of construction have been found.

Dismemberment of the masters

Legend says that after the completion of the construction of the Taj, Shah Jahan ordered the masters to cut off the hands and gouge out the eyes of the masters so that they could never repeat it again. Fortunately, this story has not found any historical confirmation.

Settling Taj Mahal

Some experts claim that, according to some reports, the Taj Mahal is slowly leaning towards the riverbed and this is due to changes in the soil due to the gradual drying of the Yamuna River. The Archaeological Survey of India declared the existing changes in the height of the building minor, adding that no structural changes or damage had been found in the 70 years since the first scientific survey of the Taj Mahal, carried out in 1941.

Taj Mahal Museum

The Taj Mahal complex includes a small but wonderful Taj Museum (admission 5 rupees; 10:00-17:00 Saturday-Thursday). It is located in the western part of the gardens. The museum houses original Mughal miniatures, a pair of ivory portraits of Shah Jahan and his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal (XVII century). There are also several well-preserved gold and silver coins from the same period, architectural drawings of the Taj, and some elegant celadon plates that are rumored to break into pieces or change color if the food on the plate contains poison.

The best views of the Taj Mahal

In the territory of the Taj

For pleasure, you will have to pay 750 rupees, but only inside the complex around the Taj Mahal you can fully experience the beauty and power of the most beautiful building on earth. Check out the mosaic (pietra fool) inside niches with arches (pishtakov) on the four outer walls. Don't forget to take a flashlight with you to get a better look at similar ornaments inside the dark central hall of the mausoleum. pay attention to white marble and semi-precious stones embedded in it.

From Mehtab Bagh

Tourists are no longer allowed to walk freely along the promenade on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River, but it is still possible to admire the Taj Mahal from behind, from Mehtaba Bagh Park (XVI century) on the other side of the river. The path leading down to the river will take you to a place where the same views can be enjoyed for free, albeit from a limited perspective.

View from the south bank of the river

This perfect place to watch the sunset. Follow the path that runs along the eastern wall of the Taj Mahal, down to a small temple by the river. There you will find boats on which you can ride along the river and enjoy even more romantic views. Get ready to pay about 100 rupees for a boat. For safety reasons, it is better not to go here alone at sunset.

From the roof of the cafe in Taj Ganj

A great option for photographing at dawn is the rooftops of the cafe in Taj Ganj. The pictures come out very beautiful. We think the roof top cafe at Saniya Palace is the best place. The location is excellent, there is a lot of greenery around. But in principle these good places many, and they all offer as a bonus a view of the Taj Mahal, which you can admire with a cup of morning coffee.

From Agra Fort

Having a camera with a decent lens is a great way to take gorgeous photos of the Taj Mahal from Agra Fort, especially if you're ready to get up at dawn and catch the moment when the sun rises from behind its walls. Perhaps, best places for shooting is Musamman Burj and Khas Mahal, the octagonal tower and palace where Shah Jahan was imprisoned and where he spent the last eight years of his life.

Information for visitors

Taj Mahal opening hours

The mausoleum is open daily from 6 am to 7 pm, except Friday (On this day it is open only to those who come to the Friday service at the mosque on the territory of the Taj Mahal).

You can also admire the Taj Mahal moonlight- two days before and two days after the full moon, the mausoleum is open in the evening hours - from 20.30 to midnight.

Entrance

Entrance to the Taj Mahal costs 750 INR (about $12), children under 15 years old - admission is free.

Best time to visit the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is magnificent at dawn. It's definitely best time to visit, and there are fewer people during these hours. Sunset is another magical time to enjoy wonderful views. You can view the Taj for five nights during the full moon. The number of entries is limited. Tickets must be purchased the day before the visit at the Archaeological Intelligence Office of India (12227263; www.asi.nic.in; 22 Mall; Indians/Foreigners 510/750 INR). Read the details on their website. Be aware that among rickshaw drivers this office is known as Taj Mahal office.

Photo and video shooting

Photo and video shooting with professional equipment is prohibited (DSLRs are usually not considered professional equipment due to their high popularity among tourists, but there may be problems if you have a very large lens). Permission to shoot with a regular camera will cost an additional 25 INR.

How to get there

Taj Mahal is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the city of Agra - it is about 200 km. from Delhi.

The following trains run from Delhi to Agra:

• Shatabdi Express - leaves New Delhi Station at 6:00 am, back at 20:40 (journey time 2 hours).
• "Taj-Express" - departs from Nizamuddin Station at 7:15, back at 18:50 (journey time 3 hours).
• In addition to them, all trains to Calcutta, Mumbai and Gwalior go through Agra.

In addition, you can also get to Agra by bus (express from 3 hours), taxi (2000 INR) or by ordering group tour(from 1500 INR including entrance fees).

Already from Agra itself to the Taj Mahal can be reached by rickshaw or taxi.

The Taj Mahal in India is located near Agra. In its outward stately appearance, it resembles a temple, but in fact it is a mausoleum built in honor of the second wife of Shah Jahan - Mumtaz Mahal (otherwise Arjumand Bano Begum).

History and legends of Mumtaz Mahal

In translation, Taj Mahal means the Crown of the Moghuls. For some time it was also called Taj Bibi-as-Rauza or the burial place of the queen of the heart. According to an old legend, Prince Guram, the future Shah Jahan, once saw a poor girl in the market. Looking into her eyes, he immediately decided to take her as his wife. So at the age of 19, Arjumand Bano Begum acquired the status of the second wife of Prince Guram. Guram had many other wives and concubines, but it was Mumtaz who won the heart of the future ruler for a long time.

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

During the conquest of the throne, Mumtaz became the most faithful companion of the prince. But the struggle was serious: the prince was opposed by his brothers, and besides, he had to hide from Jahangir's own father. But still in 1627, Guram manages to seize the throne and receive the status of Shah Jahan - the ruler of the world.

Mumtaz occupied an important place in the life of the government. Shah Jahan arranged various receptions and feasts in her honor. Mumtaz was present at all important state ceremonies, she was listened to even at state councils.

Specific facts about the life and death of Mumtaz are confused in different sources, which eventually made them a legend. So Mumtaz gave birth to nine or thirteen children, and died in 1636 or 1629. The reason is also confused - according to one of them, she fell ill, according to the other, she died during childbirth. A lot of it comes down to the fact that this event happened during the return with the victory from the Deccan. The legend also says that before her death, Mumtaz asked her husband to build a tomb equal to their love.

History of the mausoleum

Initially, the queen was buried in Burkhan-Nur, where she died. Six months later, her remains were taken to Agra. And on the anniversary of Shah Jahan's death, the construction of the mausoleum began. The best architects of the East took part in the project competition. All the masters were surpassed by the architect Usto Isa Khan Effendi from Shiraz. On the whole, the emperor liked his project very much, and was only partially changed later.

For 22 years, 20 thousand people built this landmark of India. The tomb itself was surrounded by a wall made of red sandstone. In front of the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, a huge courtyard was built under future garden. According to one of beautiful legends on the opposite side of the Jamna River, the ruler began the construction of another mausoleum of the same shape, but made of black marble, for himself. In this legend and in the general architecture of the building, Shah Jahan's love for symmetry is visible. The erection of an anticopy of the mausoleum was not destined to come true - his son Aurangzeb intercepts the throne and imprisons his father in the Red Fort. So Shah Jahan spent his last years life under house arrest and died in 1666.

According to the will of his father, Aurangzeb transfers his body to the Taj Mahal to his wife. Many other wives of Shah Jahan, as well as some family members and their close associates, were also buried here.

The Taj Mahal is really beautiful building. No description, photo or video can convey the entire true beauty this building. The architecture of the building conveys a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. The fortress walls are framed by pavilion towers at the corners. In the center rises the building of the tomb itself in iridescent colors, depending on the lighting. At night, it seems dazzlingly white, and during the flood of the river, all this beauty is evenly reflected in its course.

The building is surrounded by a park on three sides. The facade of the palace is made up of a marble portal adjacent to the sides with two domed towers. On the central axis of the mausoleum in front of the facade there is an irrigation canal, divided by a pool. Paths stretched from the pool towards four minarets, to which, due to cases of suicide, access was closed.

The feeling of lightness of the building from afar is reinforced by its decoration upon closer examination. So the walls are painted with a delicate pattern, the marble blocks are inlaid with gems that shimmer in the light. It seems that this building was erected quite recently. Not surprisingly, according to another legend, Shah Jahan ordered the hands of the architect to be cut off so that he could not repeat this.

Two side stairs lead to the second floor of the tomb, where under a huge dome, rising to a height of 74 meters, there are open terraces. Niches are carved into the facade of the building, which further enhances the feeling of weightlessness of the building. Entering through the passage of the facade, you can see a spacious hall, in the center of which there are two white marble sarcophagi.

Sarcophagi

The walls of the building are decorated with stone mosaics. They are woven into many plants, garlands of flowers, letters. The vaults of the arches are painted with fourteen suras from the Koran.

The Indian Taj Mahal, the most famous monument of love, has long become a symbol of this country. This is one of the most popular attractions among tourists, perceiving as eternal history love in stone

The Taj Mahal is an outstanding architectural monument and one of the main attractions in India dating back to the Mughal period. The Taj was built as a mausoleum for Shah Jahan's beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. Shah Jahal himself was later also buried in the Taj Mahal. The word Taj Mahal is translated as "The Greatest Palace": taj in translation is a crown, mahal is a palace.

Taj Mahal - history of creation

The history of the creation of one of the main attractions of India began in 1630. The Taj Mahal was built on the banks of the Jumna River, south of the city of Agra. The Taj Mahal complex includes:

• minarets;
• mosque;
• javab;
• Big gate.

20,000 artisans and craftsmen worked on the construction of the Taj. Construction lasted twelve years. The mausoleum-mosque combines Persian, Indian, Islamic architectural styles. The height of the five-domed building is 74 meters, four minarets rise at the corners of the building. The minarets are tilted to the side so as not to damage the very tomb of the Shah and his wife during the destruction.

The mausoleum is surrounded beautiful garden with a fountain and a pool that reflects the entire building. The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, located in the city of Agra, is famous for its optical focus: if you walk with your back to the exit, the building seems huge compared to the surrounding trees. The center of the complex is the tomb. 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 an onion, is impressive - 35 meters. On the tops of the domes are traditional Persian figures.

What is the Taj Mahal made of?

The foundation consisted of wells filled with rubble stone. Materials were transported on a fifteen-kilometer ramp using oxen and wagons. Water was extracted from the river by a rope-bucket system. From a large reservoir, water rose to the distribution compartment, from where it was delivered to the construction site through three pipes. The construction cost was 32 million rupees.

The majestic finish deserves special attention: white polished translucent marble inlaid with gems such as turquoise, agate, malachite. In total, twenty-eight types of semi-precious and precious stones are inlaid into the walls of the tomb. The marble from which the mausoleum was made was brought from quarries 300 kilometers from the city. During the day, the walls of the mosque look white, at night - silvery, and at sunset - pink.

For the construction of the Taj Mahal, craftsmen were invited not only from India, but also from Central Asia, Middle East, Persia. The designer of the main building is Ismail Afandi from the Ottoman Empire. There is a legend according to which a copy of the Taj, but only made of black marble, should have been located on the other side of the Jamna River. The building was not completed. For a plot of 1.2 hectares, the soil was replaced, the site was raised 50 meters above the river level.

Taj Mahal - interesting facts

According to legend, after being overthrown by his son, Shah Jahan admired the Taj Mahal from the windows of his dungeon. An interesting fact is that the tomb of Humayun in Delhi is very similar to the Taj Mahal, built, like the Taj Mahal, as a sign great history love between spouses. Moreover, the tomb in Delhi was built earlier, and Shah Jahan used the experience of building the tomb of the Mughal emperor in its construction. There is also a smaller copy of the Taj Mahal, located in the city of Agra. This is the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula, built in 1628.

Since 1983, the Taj Mahal has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to a survey conducted in 2007, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

At present, there is a problem of shallowing of the Jumna River, as a result of which the mausoleum settles and cracks form on the walls. Also, due to polluted air, the walls of the Taj, famous for their whiteness, turn yellow. The building is cleaned with special clay.