TAJ MAHAL (AGRA)

The name Taj Mahal when translated means "Crown Palace" or "Crown of the Palace." This masterpiece of architecture is one of the seven wonders of the world and has achieved special note because of the romance of its inspiration. Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Taj Mahal (India) is a mausoleum built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to his 14th child. It is said that Shah Jahan was very much pained by the death of his favorite wife, therefore, he constructed this mausoleum so that its pleasant site would give him solace.

It is believed that the Taj Mahal was designed by an Italian Architect named Geronimo Veroneo. It was constructed over a period of 22 years in the 17th century, by a workforce of 20,000 including painters, stonecutters, gardeners, embroidery artists, masons and other laborers.


The Taj Mahal is entirely made of white marble and its pure white walls are decorated with exquisite pietra dura (stone inlay) work. Its elaborate marble design is inlaid with semi-precious stones such as jade, saphire, crystal, turquoise and coral. The Taj Mahal changes colors from dawn to night, it is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines, it is said that the changing colors of the tomb depict the various moods of a woman. It is built in a unique mughal style with a beautiful blend of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is wrongly perceived that only the white domed marble mausoleum is Taj. The Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures that contains gardens, gateways, inns and a mosque.

SOME FACTS ABOUT TAJ MAHAL (India):

   - Starting year of Construction 1631 A.D.
   - Completion year 1654 A.D.
   - Main architects were Ustad Isa, Isa Mohammad Khan, Qazim Khan, Amanat Khan and Mir Abdul Hakim among others.
   - The Estimated Cost is 2 Million Dollars (Inflation Unadjusted) .
   - Height of the Dome is 35 Meters.
   - Height of the Minarets is 40 Meters.
   - The Circumference is 30 Meters.
   - Length of the Pedestal is 55 Meters.
   - Breadth of Pedestal is 55 Meters.
   - The tickets to Taj Mahal are for- 20 Indian Rupees for Indians and 5 Dollars for Foreigners .

It is believed that Shah Jahan had planned to construct another Taj Mahal in "black marble" which would be his own tomb and would be located on the other side of the river. However, this never happened due to the war between him and his son.

MONUMENTS WITHIN THE TAJ COMPLEX, INDIA:
There are two identical buildings on either side of the Taj. Both of these buildings are mosques and are entirely made up of red sandstone. The one on the left side of the Taj Mahal is important and used for offering prayers, as it not only sanctifies the Taj but also faces Mecca. Whereas The one on the right side of the Taj Mahal is known as the Jawab (answer). Taj is a remarkable travel and tourism destination.