Indian taj mahal. Taj Mahal is a symbol of love. Taj Mahal Taj Mahal — description, history, photos
This is the greatest monument of India, which was built in the name of love and extraordinary devotion to a woman of amazing beauty. In its grandeur, it has no analogues in the whole world and reflects a rich period in the history of its state, which captured an entire era.
The building, built of white marble, was the last gift of Emperor Shah Jahan to his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor ordered to find the best craftsmen who would build a mausoleum so beautiful that it had no analogues in the world.
To date, the Taj Mahal is on the list of the seven most majestic monuments in the world. Erected from white marble, decorated with gold and semi precious stones, Taj Mahal has become one of the finest buildings in architecture. It's hard not to recognize it and is the most photographed structure in the world.
The Taj Mahal has become not only the pearl of the entire Muslim culture of India, but also one of the recognized world masterpieces. For many centuries it has inspired artists, musicians and poets who have tried to translate the invisible magic of this building into paintings, music and poems.
Since the 17th century, people have crossed entire continents on purpose just to see and enjoy this truly fabulous monument of love. Even centuries later, it still captivates visitors with its architecture, which tells about mysterious history deep love.
Taj Mahal, translated as "Palace with a dome", and today is considered the most preserved, architecturally beautiful mausoleum in the world. Some call it "an elegy in marble", for others the Taj Mahal is an eternal symbol of unfading love.
The Indian poet Rabindanath Tagore called it "a tear on the cheek of eternity", and the English poet Edwin Arnold said - "this is not a work of architecture, like other buildings, but the emperor's love torments, embodied in living stones."
Creator of the Taj Mahal
Shah Jahan was the fifth Mughal emperor, and in addition to the Taj Mahal, he left behind many beautiful monuments of architecture, which are now associated with the face of India. Such as the Pearl Mosque located in Agra, Shahjahanabad (now Old Delhi), Divan-i-Khas and Divan-i-Am, which is in the citadel of the Red Fort (Delhi). And also, considered the most luxurious throne in the world, the Peacock Throne of the Great Mongols. But the most famous was, of course, the Taj Mahal, which immortalized his name forever.
Shah Jahan had several wives. In 1607, he was engaged to a young girl Arjumanad Banu Begam, who at that time was only 14 years old, five years later the wedding took place. During the ceremony, Shah Jahan's father, Jahangir, named his daughter-in-law Mumtaz Mahal, which means "Pearl of the Palace".
According to the chronicles of Kazvani, "the emperor's relations with other wives were simply formal, and all the attention, favor, intimacy and deep affection that Jahan felt for Mumtaz were a thousand times stronger in relation to his other wives."
Shah Jahan, "Lord of the World", was a great patron of crafts and commerce, art and gardens, science and architecture. He rose to the head of the empire in 1628 after the death of his father and rightfully earned the reputation of a ruthless ruler. After a series of successful military campaigns, Emperor Shah Jahan significantly increased the territory of the Mongol Empire. At the peak of his reign, he was considered the most powerful man on the planet, and the wealth and splendor of his court amazed all European travelers.
But his personal life was overshadowed in 1631, when his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during childbirth. As the legend goes, Jahan promised his dying wife that he would build the most beautiful mausoleum that could not be compared to anything else in the world. Whether it was so or not, Shah Jahan embodied his wealth and all his love for Mumtaz in the creation of the promised monument.
Shah Jahan until the end of his days looked at his beautiful creation, but not as a ruler, but as a prisoner. He was imprisoned in the Red Fort in Agra by his own son Aurangzeb, who in 1658 seized the throne. The only consolation for the former emperor was the opportunity to see the Taj Mahal through the window. And before his death, in 1666, Shah Jahan asked to fulfill his last wish: to carry him to the window overlooking the Taj Mahal, where he last time whispered the name of his beloved.
Mumtaz married on 10 May 1612 after five years of engagement. This date was chosen for the couple by court astrologers, claiming that this is the most auspicious day for marriage. And they were right, the marriage was happy for both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Even during his lifetime, all the poets praised the extraordinary beauty, harmony and boundless mercy of Mamtaz Mahal.
Traveling with Shah Jahan throughout the Mughal Empire, she became his reliable life partner. Only war could separate them, but in the future, even war could not separate them. Mumtaz Mahal became a support and consolation for the emperor, as well as an inseparable companion of her husband until her death.
During the 19 years of her marriage, Mumtaz gave birth to 14 children to the emperor, but the last birth was fatal for her. Mumtaz dies in childbirth and her body is temporarily buried in Burhanpur.
The chroniclers of the imperial court paid unusually much attention to the experiences of Shah Jahan in connection with the death of his wife. The emperor was so inconsolable that after the death of Mumtaz, he spent whole year in seclusion. When he came to, he no longer looked like the old emperor. His hair turned gray, his back bent and his face aged. He did not listen to music for several years, stopped wearing richly decorated clothes and jewelry, and also used perfume.
Shah Jahan died eight years after his son Aurangzeb seized the throne. "My father had great affection for my mother, so let his last resting place be near her," said Aurangzeb and ordered that his father be buried next to Mumtaz Mahal.
There is a legend according to which Shah Jahan was going to build an exact copy of the Taj Mahal on the other side of the Yamuna River, but from black marble. But these plans were not destined to turn into reality.
Construction of the Taj Mahal
The construction of the Taj Mahal began in December 1631. It was the fulfillment of Shah Jahan's promise given to Mumtaz Mahal in the last moments of her life that he would build a monument that could match her beauty. The construction of the central mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the entire complex was completed in 1653, five years later.
No one knows who owns the layout of the Taj Mahal. Previously, in the Islamic world, the construction of buildings was attributed not to the architect, but to the customer of the construction. Based on a variety of sources, it can be argued that a team of architects worked on the project.
Like so many other great monuments, the Taj Mahal is a clear testament to the excessive wealth of its creator. For 22 years, 20,000 people worked to make Shah Jahan's fantasy come true. Sculptors came from Bukhara, calligraphers from Persia and Syria, inlay was made by craftsmen from south india, stonemasons arrived from Balochistan, and materials were brought from all over Central Asia and India.
Architecture of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal consists of the following buildings:
- Main entrance (Darwaza)
- Mausoleum (Rauza)
- Gardens
- Mosque
- Guest house
The mausoleum is surrounded on one side by a guest house, and on the other by a mosque. The building, made of white marble, is surrounded by four minarets, which are tilted to the outside so that the destruction of the central dome does not damage it. The complex stands in a garden with a huge pool, which reflects a copy of the beauty of the Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal garden
Taj Mahal surrounds beautiful garden. For the Islamic style, the garden is not just part of the complex. Muhammad's followers lived in vast arid lands, so this walled garden represented Heaven on Earth. The territory of the garden is most complex 300x300 m, with the total area of 300x580 m.
Since the number 4 is considered a sacred number in Islam, the whole structure of the Taj Mahal garden is based on the number 4 and its multiples. The central pond and canals divide the garden into 4 equal parts. In each of these parts there are 16 flower beds, which are separated by footpaths.
The trees in the garden are either fruit trees, which signify life, or the cypress family, which signifies death. The Taj Mahal itself is not located in the center of the garden, but on its northern edge. And in the center of the garden there is an artificial reservoir, reflecting the mausoleum in its waters.
History of the Taj Mahal after construction
Somewhere in the middle of the 19th century, the Taj Mahal turned into a place for a pleasant holiday. The girls danced on the terrace, the guest house with the mosque was rented out for wedding ceremonies. The British and Indians plundered the semi-precious stones, tapestries, rich carpets and silver doors that once adorned this mausoleum. Many vacationers took a hammer with them, in order to make it more convenient to extract pieces of carnelian and agate from stone flowers.
For some time it seemed that the Taj Mahal might disappear, like the Mongols themselves. In 1830, the Governor-General of India, William Bentinck, was going to dismantle the monument and sell its marble. It is said that only the absence of buyers prevented the destruction of the mausoleum.
The Taj Mahal suffered even more during the Indian uprising in 1857, and at the end of the 19th century it completely fell into disrepair. The graves were desecrated by vandals and the area was completely overgrown with no maintenance.
The decline lasted for many years, until Lord Kenzon (Governor General of India) organized a massive restoration project for the monument, which was completed in 1908. The building has been completely renovated and the garden and canals restored. All this helped restore the Taj Mahal to its former glory.
Many scold the British for their bad attitude towards the Taj Mahal, but the Indians did not treat him better either. As the population of Agra increased, the structure began to suffer from the resulting pollution. environment acid rain that bleached it white marble. The future of the monument was in jeopardy until, in the late 1990s, the Supreme Court of India decided to move all especially dangerous hazardous industries outside the city.
The Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mongolian architecture. It combines elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian architectural schools. In 1983, the monument was listed world heritage UNESCO, and was called "the pearl of all Muslim art in India and a masterpiece of world heritage, causing universal admiration."
The Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India for tourists, which annually attracts about 2.5 million travelers. It is considered one of the most recognizable structures in the world, and the history behind its construction gives the right to consider it the greatest monument love ever built in the world.
Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of Sultan Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Architect Ustad Isa. 1630-1652
Taj Mahal
The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra in northern India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was created in a style later called "mughal", which combined the traditions of Indian, Persian and Arabic architecture. Actually, the mausoleum was the first building built in the new spirit. The Taj Mahal was built at the behest of Shah Jahan (1592-1666). the fifth ruler of the Mughal dynasty, as the burial place of his wife Arjumand and a monument to their love. Arjumand was the daughter of the minister Jangir and is better known under the titles of Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen of the Palace) or Taj Mahal (Crown of the Palace).
Initially, the tomb was called Raoza Mumtaz Mahal or Taj Bibiha-Raoza, which in Arabic means "the tomb of the mistress of my heart." Only later, during the English colonization of India, the construction was assigned modern name-Taj Mahal.
Controversy about the architect
After the warof India by the British, a number of scientists hypothesized that the realcreatorThe project of the tomb was a European architect. Possibly ItalianGeronimo Veroneo, who worked at the court of Shah Jahan. Or frenchJeweler AGustin de Bordeaux, one of the creators of the Golden Throne of the Great Mughals.Opponentsthey object: in the architecture of the structure and construction methods there are noeuro tracesPey technical achievements of that time, but everything is connectedbetter thanowned Indian, Persian and Arabic architecture. Specificwaysstone treatments used in construction were known onlyeasternmasters. And domes, like the dome of the Taj Mahal, were erected in thatperiod lish in Samarkand and Bukhara.
LOVE IN STONE
Beloved wife of Shah Jahan died in childbirth in 1631 at the age of 38. The saddened emperor decided to perpetuate her memory in a previously unseen tomb. The ruler of one of the most powerful and richest countries of that time made full use of the opportunities
his position. He sent messengers to all centers of architecture in the Islamic world: Istanbul, Baghdad, Samarkand, Damascus and Shiraz, calling together the most famous architects of the East. At the same time, drawings and plans of all famous buildings Asia. Vladyka wanted to erect a building that had no equal or even like it in the world.
Many projects were considered. It may have been the first architectural competition in history. As a result, Shah Jahan settled on the version of the young Shiraz architect Ustad Isa.
Then began direct preparation for construction. Masons from Delhi and Kandahar, who were considered the best in India, came to Agra. Artists and calligraphers were hired in Persia and Baghdad, Bukhara and Delhi people were in charge of finishing, and skillful gardeners from Bengal were invited to create a garden and park ensemble. The management of the work was entrusted to Ustad Isa, and his closest assistants were the prominent Turkish architect Khanrumi and the Samarkandian Sharif, who created the magnificent domes of the mausoleum. Thus, the mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal combined all the best that the architecture and arts and crafts of the East achieved at that time.
TAJ MAHAL MUSEUM
In addition to the actual architectural complex of the mausoleum on the territory of the Taj Mahal, there are museum exposition dedicated to the history of the Mughal dynasty. It presents a unique numismatic collection, objects of art and everyday life of the 16th-17th centuries. Near the walls of the museum there are gardens in the famous Mughal style - copies of the garden surrounding the mausoleum.
Ustad Isa took the late Indian architecture, in particular the mausoleum of Humayun - the burial place of the first Great Mughals and members of their families. But at the same time, he made significant changes, abandoning, for example, addiction to numerous columns (there are no Taj Mahal at all). According to court historian Abdul Hamid Lahori. construction began six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal and lasted 12 years. In 1643 the central building of the tomb was completed.
The construction was completed in 1648, but, apparently,
After that, the finishing continued for several more years. In total, the construction and decoration took 22 years. More than 20 thousand people took part in the work at the same time, for whom a special town of Mumtazabad was built near Agra.
The main material was white marble, delivered on elephants from the quarries of Jokhapur - more than three hundred kilometers away. In the decoration, inlays with precious and semi-precious stones were widely used. There were Hindu Kush lapis lazuli, Chinese jade of all colors, Moonstone Decana, Persian amethysts and turquoise, Tibetan carnelian, malachite brought from Russia. According to legend, “a lot more gold and silver than an elephant can take away” went into inlay. For the main lines in the ornaments, red sandstone and black marble were used.
In order to raise materials for the construction of the main dome to a great height, according to the project of the Turkish engineer Ismail Khan, they built a sloping earth embankment 3.5 km long and almost 50 m high. Elephants could easily deliver marble blocks to the work site along it. When Shah Jahan saw the finished mausoleum, he wept with admiration.
Despite its huge size, the mausoleum looks weightless. In many ways, this effect is achieved due to the four minarets, which have a carefully planned deviation from the vertical axis. This was supposed to save the tomb from being destroyed by fragments of minarets in the event of an earthquake.
Soon, Shah Jahan wished to build a similar mausoleum next to the Taj Mahal, but already black - for himself.
However, this was not destined to come true. The emperor fell ill, a war broke out in the country between his sons. Thanks to the support of the Muslim clergy, the youngest, the Islamic fanatic Aurangzeb, won, executing all his brothers and not even sparing his own father.
Shah Jahan spent the rest of his life in the casemate of the famous Red Fort of Agra, built by his great-grandfather Akbar, the founder of the dynasty. From there he had a view of the Taj Mahal - the last consolation of the captive. According to the chronicler Abdul Hamid Lahori, feeling the approach of death, the prisoner asked the jailers to bring him to the window and, looking at the tomb of his beloved wife, “plunged into a deep, eternal sleep.” According to his will, he was buried next to Arjumand.
The proportions of the Taj Mahal were so perfect that even a legend was born that during its creation they resorted to magic and the help of otherworldly forces. Another legend says that at the end of the work, the eyes of the architects were gouged out, and the hands of the craftsmen were cut off so that they could not create anything like it again. Of course, this is a myth. On the contrary, both architects and builders were generously rewarded, and besides, their work during the entire time of the construction of the mausoleum was well paid. Which, by the way, gave Shah Jahan's enemies a reason to claim that the construction of the Taj Mahal ruined the treasury of the empire. But this is not so: at that moment, the power of the Great Moguls was very rich and occupied almost the entire Hindustan. Simultaneously with the construction of the tomb, extensive irrigation work was carried out in Punjab and successful wars were waged with neighbors.
BEAUTY AND TIME
Time and people did not spare the monument. Aurangzeb was the first to destroy it, seizing the golden lattice that surrounded the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal. Condemning his father for senseless waste, he himself built a semblance of the Taj Mahal south of Agra - for himself and his elder wife. But the copy was very unsuccessful and almost unknown to the general public.
After Aurangzeb, the mausoleum was plundered under Nadir Shah in 1739. Then the silver doors of the main hall were taken away, later replaced by bronze ones, which still exist today. When the British army occupied Agra in 1803, the soldiers took out about 200 kg of gold from the Taj Mahal and dug out a lot of precious stones from its walls. Most of these treasures went to the East India Company.
Only at the end of the XIX century. By order of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, the monument was taken under protection. Since then, its security has been the concern of the Indian authorities - first the colonial, and after independence - the national government. The leadership of the Department of Archaeological Surveys of India even achieved a resolution Supreme Court countries to impose a ban on industrial activities in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal. Airplane flights are prohibited over the mausoleum so that the vibration from the operation of the engines does not damage the unique monument.
Unfortunately, the normal functioning of the museum has been hampered by politics for several years now. In connection with the activation of terrorist organizations in India, the protection of the Taj Mahal had to be entrusted to the armed forces and special services. The central pavilion of the mausoleum was closed to visitors back in 1984, after a clash between guards and militants took place there. Since then, the Indian government has been wary of a repeat attack and has carefully controlled the surrounding area. Ironically, the attacks against the Taj Mahal, built by one of India's greatest Muslim sovereigns, were planned and carried out by Islamic radicals.
Recently, the mausoleum has also been threatened by the forces of nature. Due to subsidence of the soil, changes in the hydrological regime and several earthquakes, the foundations of the minarets have shifted, and only urgently Taken measures to strengthen the soil saved the miracle of architecture from destruction.
Mosaic on the walls of the Taj Mahal.
Inside the walls of the Taj Mahal are decorated with mosaic images of fabulous trees and flowers. The thoughtful arrangement of windows makes the mausoleum literally transparent to the sun and moonlight, and it almost does not need artificial lighting. In the center of the main hall there is an octagonal burial chamber topped with a low dome. Here, behind an openwork stone fence inlaid with precious stones, there are false tombs - cenotaphs. The real sarcophagi of the Empress Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are located in the dungeon exactly under the cenotaphs. These tombs are covered with fantastically vegetal ornaments made of semi-precious stones.
Taj Mahal is a pearl of world architecture. He is recognized as one of the most beautiful buildings on Earth, and its silhouette is considered an unofficial symbol of India. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of objects under the protection of UNESCO.
IDEAL PROPORTIONS
In terms of the Taj Mahal, it is somewhat similar to the classical Islamic place of worship. In addition to the mausoleum itself, the complex of buildings includes a mosque and a covered gallery built of red sandstone, a gate in the form of an arch, as well as an extensive garden with fountains and pools, planned so that the tomb is clearly visible from all sides.
The mausoleum was erected on a vast platform of red sandstone seven meters high, on which, in turn, a three-meter puddle was built on it and rests directly on the Taj Mahal. This absolutely symmetrical octagonal building, 57 meters high, is crowned with a 24-meter dome, shaped like a lotus bud. The facades are decorated lancet arches and niches that create a subtle play of light and shadow.
The mausoleum is especially beautiful against the blue sky, and all this magnificence is reflected in the rectangular pool located directly in front of the building. This is the first such experience in the world. In Europe, two years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, French architect André Le Nôtre used a body of water designed to reflect the facade of the palace.
White marble in combination with a carefully selected shade of the dome tiles - the color of the sky - creates the impression of an incredible lightness of the monumental ensemble. The beauty of the Taj Mahal is emphasized by the play of light, especially in the evening twilight, when the marble is painted in various shades of purple, pink, golden colors. Early in the morning the building, as if woven from lace. seems to be floating in the air.
Taj Mahal- This mausoleum-mosque, which is located in India in the city Agra. In the mosque, you can see elements of both Indian and Persian styles. The Indian Taj Mahal has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
The most famous component of the mosque is by far the white dome. Twenty thousand craftsmen and artisans worked on it. Construction continued from 1632 to 1953. The Taj Mahal is a five-domed structure 74 meters high, on a platform, in the corners of the mosque there are four minarets. The surrounding area also has swimming pools, fountains and a garden. The walls of the Taj Mahal are made of translucent polished marble inlaid with gems. During the construction, stones such as agate, malachite, turquoise, carnelian and others were used. When bright sunshine marble appears white, pink at dawn, and silvery on a moonlit night.
History of the creation of the Taj Mahal romantic and sad, it tells about the love story of the padishah and his wife. The mosque became the last refuge of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of the king Shah Jahan, who died at the age of thirty-eight during childbirth, giving birth to her fourteenth child. At nineteen, she was married off, and she became the third and most beloved wife of the padishah. The Taj Mahal is a symbol of their eternal love. The grief of loss was very great for Jahan. He turned gray, lost the meaning of life and even thought about suicide. Before the death of his beloved wife, he promised to build a monument that would convey all the tenderness and beauty of Mumtaz. The Taj Mahal was built in honor of Mumtaz Mahal.
The exterior of the Taj Mahal is no less amazing. Carvings, various paints, stone inlays and plaster were used as decorative elements. An important decorative element is that passages from the Koran are used throughout the complex. The plinth, gates, surfaces of graves, minarets and mosques use abstract forms. There are also images of vines and flowers.
Inside the Taj Mahal are two tombs: the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal and her husband. But they are not buried in them, but deep under the tombs. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz Mahal, it is taller and larger only because it was completed much later. But it is decorated in the same way as the coffin of Mumtaz. The bodies of the spouses were not buried in them, since it is forbidden to decorate the graves. Their bodies lie in ordinary crypts, and their faces are turned towards Mecca. On the lid of Mumtaz's tomb is a triangular rhombus that was designed to be written on. Calligraphic inscriptions on the tombstone praise the deceased wife of the padishah. Despite the considerable harem, all the love and tenderness of Jahan belonged only to her.
Shah Jahan had six wives and several concubines. The rest of the wives are buried in separate mausoleums outside the walls. central premises. Also in one of these mausoleums, the beloved servant of Mumtaz Mahal is buried.
Over time and due to environmental pollution, the white walls of this magical building began to turn yellow. And because of the movement of the soil, cracks on the walls were even noticed. Despite all this, the mosque-mausoleum of the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra has been and remains one of the most beloved tourist places in India and is rightfully considered one of the 7 wonders of the world!
The girl that the Indian prince Jahan once saw in the market was so beautiful that he immediately brought her to the palace, making her his beloved wife: Mumtaz Mahal managed to captivate her husband so much that he did not look at other women until her death. At the same time, she did not sit at home, she always accompanied him on military campaigns and was the only person in the world whom he trusted and with whom he often consulted.
This gives reason to assert that the story that Mumtaz was of plebeian origin is a myth far from reality. In fact, she had a noble origin, was the daughter of a vizier and was a distant relative of Jahan's mother, and therefore received extremely a good education(otherwise, the young woman would hardly be able to give constructive advice).
Together they lived for about seventeen years, during which time Mumtaz gave birth to her husband fourteen children, and died during the birth of the last child. First, she was buried in the city in which she died, in Burkhan-Nur, and six months later her remains were transported to one of the most prosperous cities in India, Agra. It was here that the inconsolable widower decided to build a tomb for his wife, which, in terms of beauty, should have become worthy of Mumtaz and, by its very appearance, would tell the descendants of an incredible love story.
In which city to build the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal (“taj” means “crown”, “mahal” - “palace”), it was decided almost immediately: the suburb of Agra, one of the most beautiful and developed cities in India, located on the banks of the river, was best suited for this. manner. In order to be able to build a mosque on the chosen territory, Shah Jahan had to exchange this site for a palace located in the center of Agra.
He did not have to regret this: this area near the city was not only extremely beautiful and picturesque, but also turned out to be seismically stable - in the years that have passed since the completion of construction work, earthquakes have failed to cause serious damage to the structure.
The main building was designed by Turkish architect Ismail Afandi from Ottoman Empire, and his compatriot Usatada Isa is considered the creator of the architectural image of the monument - it was their projects that Jahan liked the most. The choice of the ruler turned out to be successful: the erected Taj Mahal (Agra) turned out to be one of the most outstanding monuments in the world, successfully combining the styles of Indian, Persian and Islamic directions, and was recently recognized as one of the wonders of the world.
Construction of the tomb
The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and the construction lasted twenty-one years (while the tomb was completed ten years earlier). To build this unique complex, more than 20 thousand workers from all over India, as well as architects, artists, sculptors from nearby countries were involved in the construction work.
The area near the city (Agra) with a size of 1.2 hectares was dug up, after which, in order to reduce the flowability of the soil, the soil was replaced on it. The level of the site planned for the construction of the mosque was raised 50 meters above the shore. After that, the workers dug wells, filled them with rubble stone, thus obtaining a foundation, which, moreover, was supposed to play the role of a kind of pillow during earthquakes and would not allow the complex to collapse.
Interesting fact: instead of bamboo forests the architects decided to use brick scaffolding: it was easier to work with heavy marble. stone forests looked so impressive that the architects were afraid that it would take several years to dismantle them. Jahan found a way out by announcing that any resident of Agra could take the required number of bricks for himself - and the scaffolding was dismantled in a few days.
In order to deliver building materials to the mosque, the Hindus built a gently sloping earthen platform, along which bulls dragged luggage that was on specially designed carts. They were delivered to the city from all over India (and not only). The most important building material - white marble was brought to the city from Makrana and Rajasthan, located at a distance of 300 km from Agra.
Raised marble blocks to the desired height with the help of special devices. The water needed for construction work was first extracted from the river, after which it was poured into the reservoir, from where it rose into a special reservoir and was directed through pipes to the construction site.
architectural complex
All buildings of the architectural complex Taj Mahal, Agra were extremely carefully planned from a geometric point of view. The central building of the complex is a mausoleum that tells about the love story of the ruling couple of India. Surrounding this wonder of the world on three sides are battlements erected from red sandstone, thus leaving the view open only from the side of the river.
The tomb of the Taj Mahal, Agra is surrounded by several more tombs in which other wives of the ruler were buried (they were also built from red sandstone, which was often used in the construction of crypts of that time). Not far from the main mausoleum is the Musical House (now there is a museum).
The main gate, like the main building, is made of marble, the entrance is decorated with an openwork white portico, on top - the eleventh dome, on the sides there are two towers with white domes. On both sides of the central tomb were built of red sandstone, two large structures: the building on the left was used by the inhabitants of Agra as a mosque, and the right served as a boarding house. They were built for balance - so that nothing would collapse during an earthquake.
In front of the mausoleum there is a luxurious park, the length of which is 300 meters. In the middle of the park, there is an irrigation canal lined with marble, in the center of which a pool was built, in which the mausoleum is completely reflected (paths lead from it to four minarets).
According to the descriptions of eyewitnesses, in the old days Agra and its park struck with an abundance of vegetation: roses, daffodils, a huge number of garden trees grew here. After India came under the British Empire, its appearance changed significantly - and it began to look like an ordinary English lawn.
What does the tomb look like?
The main building of this architectural complex, which is located in the city of Agra, is the Taj Mahal mausoleum built of white marble. It is best viewed from the river, since the wall has not been installed on this side.
It looks especially chic at dawn: the tomb is reflected in the water, creating the illusion of unreality and, if you look at it from the opposite bank, you get the impression that this miracle is floating in the predawn fog, and the rays that have appeared create an amazing play of color on the walls.
Such airiness and a feeling of “hovering” to the mausoleum are given, first of all, by unusual proportions, when the height of the building has the same dimensions as its width, as well as a huge dome, which seems to carry away smaller elements of the structure – four small domes and minarets.
The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, Agra tells the world about the beautiful love story between Jahan and Mumtaz Maha, and has incredible beauty. The height and width of the mausoleum is 74 meters. The facade of the tomb is square in shape, while semicircular niches are built into it, giving the massive building a weightless look. The mausoleum is crowned with a marble dome 35 meters high, shaped like an onion.
The top of the dome is decorated with a month, the horns of which are directed upwards (until the 19th century it was golden, and then it was replaced with an exact copy made of bronze).
At the corners of the tomb, emphasizing the shape of the main dome, there are four smaller vaults that completely repeat its shape. At the corners of the mausoleum, at a slight slope in the opposite direction from the tomb, there are four towers (minarets) decorated with gilding, about 50 m high (the slope was provided at an early stage of construction work so that they could not harm the main structure if they fell).
The walls of the Taj Mahal (Agra) are painted with a fine pattern and built of white marble with gems inserted into it (28 types of precious stones in total). Especially a lot of decorating elements can be seen on the pedestals, gates, mosques, as well as at the bottom of the mausoleum.
Thanks to the unique marble, the mausoleum looks different throughout the day: during the day the tomb is white, at dawn it is pink, and on a moonlit night it becomes silvery. Previously, the entrance doors were made of pure silver, but later, like many other valuable decorative elements, they were stolen (by whom - history is silent).
Inside view
Inside, the Taj Mahal (city of Agra) looks no less remarkable than the outside. The entrance to the mausoleum is decorated with a gallery with graceful columns. The hall inside the tomb is an octagon, which can be accessed from either side of the tomb (now this can only be done from the side of the park). Inside the hall, behind a marble screen, there are two sarcophagi made of white marble, which in reality are false tombs, since the graves themselves are under the floor.
On the cover of the sarcophagus of the ruler's wife, inscriptions praising her are engraved. The only asymmetric element in the entire complex is Jahan's sarcophagus, which was installed after his death: the ruler's coffin is slightly larger than the coffin of his wife. The height of the walls inside the building is 25 m, and the ceiling decorated with the sun is made in the form of an inner dome.
The entire space inside the hall is divided by eight arches, above which you can read quotes from the Koran. Four middle arches form balconies with windows through which light enters the hall (besides these windows, the sun's rays enter the room through special openings in the roof). The second floor of the mausoleum can be reached by one of the two side stairs. The walls inside the tomb are everywhere decorated with mosaics of gems, which form various symbols, plants, flowers, letters.
Death of Jahan
After the completion of the construction of the Taj Mahal, Agra, the son of the ruler, Aurangzeb, overthrew his father from the throne and put him in prison, in which the former ruler spent several years (according to one of the legends, her windows overlooked the tomb of his beloved wife he built).
After the death of Jahan, the son fulfilled the will of his father and buried him next to his wife. Thus ended the love story, capturing the memory of itself for centuries in a unique structure that still stands today.
The Taj Mahal mausoleum located in Agra is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The construction was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, as well as a symbol of eternal love. In this article I will tell you about the history of this miracle, as well as about the most interesting facts and events associated with it
Taj Mahal is the most outstanding example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is essentially an integrated complex of structures, the central and iconic component of which is a white domed marble mausoleum. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1653, and day and night, thousands of artisans and craftsmen worked to create this miracle. A council of architects worked on the construction, but the main one was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri 
Let's start from the very beginning, namely with what inspired the emperor to build such a miracle. In 1631, grief befell Emperor Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire at the height of its power. His third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died while giving birth to their 14th child. A year later, construction began, which Shah Jahan decided on, driven by his irrepressible grief and strong love for his dead wife. 
The main mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were completed 5 years later. Let's proceed to the description of each of the structural elements of the complex in detail 
Mausoleum Taj Mahal
The tomb is the architectural center of the Taj Mahal complex. This huge, white marble structure stands on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an arched opening, topped by a large dome. Like most Mughal tombs, the main elements here are of Persian origin. 
Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his beloved wife. The height of the building is 74 meters, including the platform, and there are 4 minarets in the corners, slightly tilted to the side. This was done so that in the event of a fall, they would not damage the central building. 
The marble dome that adorns the tomb is the most breathtaking part of the Taj Mahal. Its height is 35 meters. Due to its special shape, it is often called an onion dome. The shape of the dome is emphasized by four smaller domed figures placed at the corners of the tomb, which follow the onion shape of the main dome. 
The domes are topped with gilded figures in the traditional Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of gold, but in the 19th century it was replaced by a replica made of bronze. The crown is titled with a month in typical Islamic style, its horns point upwards. 
The minarets, each 40 meters high, also display perfect symmetry. They were designed to function - a traditional element of mosques that calls the Islamic believer to prayer. Each minaret is divided into three equal parts by two working balconies encircling the tower. All decorative design elements of the minarets are also gilded. 
Exterior
The exterior design of the Taj Mahal can undoubtedly be ranked among the best examples of world architecture. Since the surface of the structure is different in different areas, the decoration is chosen proportionally. The decorative elements were created using various paints, plasters, stone inlays and carvings. In accordance with the Islamic ban on the use of anthropomorphic forms, decorative elements are grouped into symbols, abstract forms and floral motifs. 
Throughout the complex, passages from the Koran are also used as decorative elements. At the gate at the entrance to park complex The Taj Mahal has four verses from the 89th sura of the Koran "Dawn", addressed to the human soul:
“O thou soul at rest! Return to your Lord contented and satisfied! Enter with My servants. Enter My Paradise!" 
Abstract forms are used throughout, especially in plinths, minarets, gates, mosques, and even on tomb surfaces. At the lower levels of the tomb, realistic marble figures of flowers and vines are applied. All these images are polished and inlaid with stones such as yellow marble, jasper and jade.
Interior
The interior of the Taj Mahal goes far from traditional decorative elements. used inside a large number of precious and semi-precious stones, and inner hall- an ideal octagon, which can be accessed from any side of the structure. However, only the south door on the garden side is used.
The inner walls are 25 meters high with a ceiling in the form of an inner dome adorned with the sun. Eight large arches divide the interior space into proportional parts. Four central arches form balconies and viewing platforms with a viewing window carved in marble. In addition to these windows, light also enters through special openings at the corners of the roof. Like the outside, everything inside is decorated with bas-reliefs and inlays. 
Muslim tradition forbids the decoration of graves. Consequently, the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were placed in a simple crypt, with their faces turned towards Mecca. Both the base and the coffin itself are carefully inlaid with precious stones. The calligraphic inscriptions on the tombstone praise Mumtaz. The rectangular rhombus on the lid of her tomb was supposedly designed to be written on. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz, and is the only asymmetric element in the entire complex, as it was completed later. It is larger than the wife's coffin, but decorated with the same elements. 
Shah Jahan's tomb bears a calligraphic inscription that reads: "He set off on a journey from this world to the abode of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth day, the month of Rajab, 1076."
Taj Mahal Gardens
We pass on to the description of the magnificent garden adjacent to architectural complex. The Mughal garden is 300 meters long. The architects came up with raised paths that divide each of the 4 parts of the garden into 16 deepened beds. The water channel in the center of the park is lined with marble, with a reflecting pond located in the middle, between the tomb and the gate. It reflects the image of the tomb. The emperor was inspired to create a garden after seeing the same luxuries from the Persian sheikhs. The Taj Mahal garden is unusual in that the main element, the mausoleum, is located at the end of the garden. Early sources describe a garden with an abundance of vegetation, including exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils, hundreds of fruit trees. But over time, the Mughal empire weakened, and there was no one to guard the gardens. During the reign british empire the landscaping of the garden was modified, and it began to resemble an ordinary lawn in the center of London 
adjoining buildings
The Taj Mahal complex is bounded on three sides by jagged red sandstone walls, while the side that runs along the river is left open. Outside the walls of the central structure, there are several additional mausoleums where the rest of Jahan's wives are buried, as well as a large grave of Mumtaz's beloved servant. These structures are built of red sandstone, typical of the tombs of the Mughal era. Nearby is the Musical House, which is now used as a museum. The main gate is a monumental structure built of marble. Its archways follow the shape of those of the tomb, and the arches are decorated with the same elements as the tomb. All elements are carefully planned from a geometric point of view 
At the far end of the complex are two large buildings from the same red sandstone, located on both sides of the tomb. They are absolutely identical, the building on the left was used as a mosque, and the identical building on the right was built for symmetry, but may have been used as a boarding house. These buildings were completed in 1643. 
History of the construction of the Taj Mahal
Here I will talk about interesting facts from the history of the construction of the complex. The Taj Mahal was built on a piece of land south of the city of Agra. Shah Jahan gave Maharaja Jai Singh Grand Palace in the center of Agra in exchange for this land. Large-scale earthworks were carried out on the territory of the complex. A huge pit was dug and filled with mud to reduce the flow of the soil. The site itself was raised 50 meters above the river level. When constructing the foundation of the tomb, deep wells were dug, which were filled with rubble for drainage and foundation support. Instead of scaffolding from bamboo, the workers built huge brick pillars surrounding the tomb - this greatly facilitated further work. Later, it took years to dismantle these scaffolds - they were so huge. In order to speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed the peasants to use these bricks for their needs. 
A fifteen-kilometer trench was dug in the ground to transport marble and other materials to the construction site. Bundles of 20-30 oxen pulled large blocks on specially designed carts. A system of special reservoirs was built to supply water from the river to the canal and to the complex itself. The pedestal and tomb of the Taj Mahal were built in 12 years, while the rest of the complex took another 10 years to complete. The total cost of construction was approximately 32 million rupees at that time. 
For the construction of the complex, materials from all over Asia were used. More than a thousand elephants were used for transportation. In total, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were set in white marble. 20 thousand workers from northern India were involved in the construction. Most likely they did the hardest work in slave conditions, since even today people in India work as slaves - for example, the article "Child Labor in India". Sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, stone carvers from Balochistan, Turkey, Iran were also involved.
Shortly after the completion of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his own son Aurangzeb and arrested at the Delhi Fort. After his death, he was buried in a mausoleum next to his beloved wife. By the end of the 19th century, parts of the building fell into disrepair. The Taj Mahal was looted by British soldiers and officials who carved precious materials from the walls of the building. Then Lord Curzon conceived a large-scale reconstruction, which ended in 1908. At the same time, the famous garden was also modified, giving the lawns a British style. 
In 1942, the government erected scaffolding in an attempt to disguise the Taj Mahal from attack by Luftwaffe and Japanese air forces. The same action was taken during the India-Pakistan Wars of 1965 and 1971. This had an effect, and the structure remained unharmed. 
Currently, the complex is threatened by environmental pollution. Due to the pollution of the Jumna River, there is a threat of its shallowing and soil erosion. Cracks began to appear in the walls of the tomb, and the mausoleum began to subside. Due to air pollution, the building began to lose its whiteness, a yellow coating appeared, which has to be cleaned every year. The Government of India is taking urgent measures to shut down hazardous industries in Agra and expand the protected area, but this has not yet had an effect. 
The Taj Mahal is India's top tourist attraction, attracting between 2 and 4 million tourists annually, more than 200,000 of them from abroad. There is a special entry price for Indian citizens, many times lower than for foreigners. The complex brings a lot of money to the state treasury, replenishing the budget. Most tourists visit the complex from October, during the cooler season. Due to measures to protect nature, buses are not allowed here, from special remote parking lots, an electric tram brings tourists
The Taj Mahal is included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World, as a result of a worldwide vote held in 2007. The monument is open to the public from 6:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, except for Fridays, when prayers are held in the mosque. For security reasons, only water in transparent bottles, small video cameras, photo cameras, Cell phones and small handbags
