The Taj Mahal history of creation is brief. India in stone: the great Taj Mahal

In 1612, a descendant of Tamerlane, Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan) married Mumtaz Mahal. The prince was delighted with the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal, the wedding could only be held if the stars were favorable, they had to wait five years for this moment, and their meetings were impossible.

In 1628, Shah Jahan began to rule India, everyone noted the very tender and close relationship between the Sultan and his wife, despite the presence of a large harem. This was the only person whom the ruler trusted completely; he even took his wife to accompany military campaigns, since he did not want to be without her for a long time.

A year into Shah Jahan's reign, in the 17th year of marriage, his beloved wife died during the birth of their 14th child. The Sultan lost his loved one, best friend and a wise advisor. The Sultan wore mourning for two years, and his hair turned completely gray from grief. A new impetus for the continuation of life was his vow to build a unique tombstone worthy of his wife, which later became a symbol of their love.

Construction

In 1632, the construction of the Taj Mahal began, which lasted more than 20 years. The city chosen was Agra, at that time the economic and social center of India. Shah Jahan recruited more than 20,000 of the best craftsmen and workers in India and Asia. The best materials were purchased for the construction of the grandiose monument. The mausoleum was built of white marble, using a record number of precious and semi-precious stones for decoration and interior decoration. The doors were made of silver, the parapet was of gold, and the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal was covered with a cloth studded with pearls.

In 1803, the tomb was plundered by Lord Lake, 44 tolas of gold were taken away, and many precious stones were taken from the walls. Lord Curzon, having come to power, passed laws that made it possible to save the Taj Mahal from complete plunder. In 1653, the Sultan began construction of a second mausoleum, an exact copy of the Taj Mahal, only made of black marble. Construction could not be completed, the country was exhausted from internal wars. In 1658, Shah Jahan was overthrown by one of his sons, and was kept under arrest for 9 years. Shah Jahan was buried in the same crypt with his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal.

Structural features

The Taj Mahal is in the center big park, which can be entered through a gate that symbolizes the entrance to heaven. In front of the mausoleum there is a large marble pool. The building itself looks weightless, despite its impressive size (height 75 meters). It is a symmetrical octagonal building topped by a large white dome. Mumtaz Mahal was buried in a dungeon, exactly under a dome resembling a flower bud. When measuring the building, clear symmetry and many interesting geometric coincidences were revealed.

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum, located in the city of Agra, is one of the most famous landmarks in the whole world. The structure was erected by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. This sad and incredibly touching story gives the mausoleum an aura of romance. Taj Mahal - beautiful building peace, which has become a symbol of eternal love.

When looking at this snow-white, huge, but at the same time seemingly airy building, an inexplicable feeling of sadness certainly arises. It is known from history that this mausoleum was built for Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved third wife of Shah Jahan, who died in 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child. The Shah's grief was so great that neither a huge harem, nor gold and jewelry could drown it out. The creation of this building, incredible in scale and beauty, seems to serve as an expression of deep sorrow and a declaration of eternal love.

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum is also a unique example of architecture, combining elements of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles. This building is a complex of structures, the central and main element of which is a white marble mausoleum.

The construction of this miracle lasted for years (began in 1632, ended in 1653), thousands of craftsmen and artisans were involved, and a whole council of architects headed by Ustad Ahmad Lahauri worked. By 1648, the main mausoleum was completed, but the adjacent buildings and garden were completed only five years later.

Taj Mahal Mausoleum

The architectural center of the Taj Mahal complex is the tomb. It is simply huge in size, made of white marble, located on a square pedestal and is a symmetrical building with an arched opening, topped with a large dome. The main architectural elements are of Persian origin.

Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - Mumtaz Mahal and the Shah himself. The height of the structure reaches 74 meters; at its corners there are 4 minarets, slightly inclined towards the building. This was done on purpose so that if they fell, they could not damage it.

The marble dome of the mausoleum has a peculiar shape, due to which it is called the “onion dome” and has a height of 35 meters. Its shape is emphasized by four smaller domes located at the corners of the tomb and having the same “onion” shape.

The main dome was decorated with a crescent crown made of pure gold, which was replaced in the 19th century by a bronze copy.

Minarets were created as active parts of mosques from which the Muslim call to prayer sounds. Each minaret is 40 meters high and is divided into three equal parts by encircling balconies. The decorative elements that decorate the minarets are also gilded.

Exterior of the Taj Mahal

The exterior of the Taj Mahal is rightfully recognized as one of the best in the world. The decorative design is made using various types of plaster, paints, inlays and carved elements. In Islam, the use of anthropomorphic forms is prohibited, so the elements are symbols, abstractions and plant motifs.

The entire complex is decorated with passages from the Koran as decorative elements. At the entrance to the Taj Mahal Park, four verses of the 89th sura of the Koran “Al-Fajr” (Dawn) are inscribed on the gate:

“O soul who has found peace in truth!

Return to your Lord, satisfied with the bliss of the mercies of Allah, having won the favor of Allah with your good deeds committed in earthly life!

Join the ranks of My pious servants!

Enter My paradise - the abode of eternal bliss!

Abstract shapes decorate many parts of the complex. They are found on pedestals, minarets, gates, mosques and on grave surfaces. Along the bottom of the tomb are marble figurines of flowers and vines. All images are carefully polished and inlaid with yellow marble, jasper and jade.

Taj Mahal interior

The interior of the Taj Mahal is not entirely traditional. The interior decoration is rich in elements with precious and semi-precious stones and inlays, and the hall is an octagon of a perfectly regular shape, which can be entered from any side. But only one door is used, from the south on the garden side.

The ceiling of the hall is made in the form of an internal dome, and is decorated in the form of a sun. The interior space of the hall is divided into parts by eight large arches. Balconies and observation decks formed by four central arches. The hall is illuminated by an observation window and special openings in the corners of the roof.

In the center of the hall are the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. They are lavishly decorated with precious stones. On the tombstone of Mumtaz Mahal there are inscriptions praising her, and there is also a rectangle, according to one version, intended for writing. The only asymmetrical element in the entire Mausoleum complex is the tomb of Shah Jahan, the reason for this is that it was completed later. It is decorated with the same decorative elements, but larger in size.

Taj Mahal Gardens

The garden located in front of the Taj Mahal mausoleum is simply beautiful. It is 300 meters long, in four parts, which are divided by original raised paths into sixteen flower beds. The canal located in the center of the garden is lined with marble and reflects the image of the mausoleum like in a mirror. An earlier description of the park contains mention of an abundance of vegetation - a variety of fruit trees, exquisite roses, and daffodils. However, during the reign of Britain, the garden was changed almost beyond recognition - all the vegetation was reduced to an ordinary green lawn.

Adjoining buildings

In addition to the main elements of the Mausoleum, the complex has several small mausoleums where the remaining wives of the Shah are buried, and in a larger building - the beloved servant Mumtaz Mahal. The main gate is a monumental structure made of marble. The gate passage follows the shape of the vaulted passages of the mausoleum, and the arches are decorated with the same decorative elements. All elements of the complex are surprisingly precisely planned geometrically and symmetrically in relation to the main building.

History of the construction of the Taj Mahal

The plot of land on which the Taj Mahal was built was purchased by Shah Jahan from Maharaja Jai ​​Singh in exchange for Grand Palace in the center of Agra. To carry out the construction work, a giant pit was dug, then it was filled with dirt to strengthen the soil, and the construction site itself was raised 50 meters above the river level. In addition, deep wells were dug and filled with rubble to drain water. Strong brick scaffolding was erected, making construction much easier.

In order to transport materials to the construction site, a fifteen-meter trench was dug, along which teams of 20-30 oxen pulled huge blocks. A system of reservoirs was created to supply the complex with water from the river. The total construction cost was around 32 million rupees.

And almost immediately after the completion of the Taj Mahal, Aurangzeb overthrew his father Shah Jahan and imprisoned him in the Delhi Fort.

By the end of the 19th century, the majestic structure fell into disrepair and was plundered by the British. Lord Curzon carried out an almost complete reconstruction of the Taj Mahal and garden.

Nowadays, a new threat has arisen over the complex - environmental pollution is gradually leading to the destruction of the mausoleum building. The government is taking measures to change the situation, but so far to no avail.

The Taj Mahal is India's top attraction, attracting about 3 million tourists every year. This is a significant source of income for the country's budget. It is open to the public every day except Friday.

According to legend, a black reflection of the Taj Mahal should appear on the other bank of the Jamna River - Shah Jahan planned to build such a mausoleum for himself. However, his plans were not destined to come true due to the betrayal of his son.

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The Taj Mahal is a white marble palace, one of the most grandiose monuments Indian architecture with luxurious interior decoration and stunningly beautiful park. It is the last gift from Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to his late wife Mumtaz Mahal, and is the country's main and most popular attraction, visited by thousands of tourists every year.

The Legend of the Taj Mahal

An ancient and very beautiful romantic legend is associated with the Taj Mahal. The Indian Shah Jahan was fascinated by the beauty of a poor girl who was selling at a local market and married her. Soon she became his beloved wife and lived with the Shah for 17 happy years. However, the happiness was not destined to last forever, and Mumtaz Mahal died during the birth of their fourteenth child. Jahan could not forget her and was never happy again.

In memory of his beloved wife and the years of their marital happiness, the Indian ruler ordered the construction of the most beautiful mausoleum in the world, the most beautiful of which is not in the whole world. The best architects and craftsmen of India and Europe were involved in the work - about 20 thousand people in total. Construction lasted for 20 long years, and a luxurious structure was built on the coast of the Jamna River, which still delights everyone who sees it.

Despite numerous earthquakes in these parts, it was never destroyed and was not damaged at all.

Park, architecture, interiors

The mausoleum building creates a unique architectural ensemble combined with a park that is laid out around it. The entire structure is made of snow-white marble, the square facade is pierced by semicircular niches, and thanks to this it looks as if weightless, despite its massiveness. The impression of “floating” is also created by the reflections of the facades in the canals of the gardens that surround the mausoleum. And the most amazing feature of this building is the ability to change its color depending on the time of day and the weather. In the rain it looks translucent, in the morning it glows pink, and at sunset it shimmers gold. The internal walls of the mausoleum are decorated with painted tiles and inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones and pearls.

Previously, the luxury of the Taj Mahal was even more impressive: the entrance doors were made of pure silver, but like many other valuable interior items, they were stolen. However, the Taj Mahal still impresses with its luxury and rich decoration.

Practical information

How to get there: The Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra (200 km from Delhi). You can get there by any train that goes to Kolkata, Mumbai and Gwalior (all of them go through Agra), the travel time is 2-3 hours. From Agra to the mausoleum - by rickshaw or taxi.

Opening hours: the mausoleum is open daily, except Friday, during daylight hours.

Entrance: for foreigners - 1000 INR, for Indian citizens - 650 INR. Prices on the page are as of August 2018.

Taj Mahal (Hindi ताज महल, English Taj Mahal) is a mausoleum-mosque located in Agra, India, on the banks of the Jamna River (architects were probably Ustad-Isa and others). Built by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth (Shah Jahan himself was later buried here).

The Taj Mahal (also "Taj") is considered the best example of Mughal style architecture, which combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became an object World Heritage UNESCO, has been called "the jewel of Muslim art in India, one of the universally recognized masterpieces of heritage, admired throughout the world."


Although the white marble dome of the mausoleum is the most famous component, the Taj Mahal is a structurally integrated complex. The building began to be built around 1632 and was completed in 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The management of the construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a Council of Architects under imperial control, including Abd ul-Karim Mamur Khan, Makramat Khan and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lakhauri is usually considered the main designer.


Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the Shah and his wife.


In fact, their burial place is located in the same place as the tombs, but underground. The construction time dates back to approximately 1630-1652. The Taj Mahal is a five-domed structure 74 m high on a platform, with 4 minarets at the corners (they are slightly tilted away from the tomb so as not to damage it in case of destruction), which is adjacent to a garden with fountains and a swimming pool.

The walls are made of polished translucent marble (brought 300 km away for construction) with inlaid gems. Turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian, etc. were used. Marble has such a feature that in bright daylight it looks white, at dawn pink, and on a moonlit night - silver.


Majestic, divine, shining, and, despite its 74-meter height, so light and airy that it is like a fairy-tale dream, the Taj Mahal mausoleum rises in the valley of the Yamuna River - the most beautiful architectural creation of India, and, perhaps, of the whole earth... White marble domes soar high into the sky - one large and four small ones, in the chaste outlines of which one can guess the female form. Reflected in the motionless surface of an artificial canal, the Taj Mahal seems to float in front of us, representing an example of extraterrestrial beauty and perfect harmony... But it is not only architectural perfection that attracts millions of travelers from all over the world to the Taj Mahal. The story of its origin makes no less impression on the hearts of people... A story more like oriental fairy tale or a legend that any poet would envy...


Love story
This mausoleum monument tells the story of the tender love of the Muslim king of the Great Mughals (not to be confused with the Mongols) Shah Jahan for his wife, the fabulous beauty Mumtaz Mahal.
Mumtaz Mahal

Shah Jahan

Shah Jahan was still a prince when he married a nineteen-year-old girl at the beginning of the 17th century. The young couple loved each other dearly. Despite the fact that Shah Jahan, like any eastern ruler, had a large harem, he was so in love with his young wife that he did not pay any attention to other women. The beloved wife gave birth to her ruler eight sons and six daughters. But... Soon after the birth of her fourteenth child, the beautiful Mumtaz passed away... The earthly heart could not withstand extraterrestrial love. Shah Jahan's grief was so great that he wanted to commit suicide. Life without his beloved seemed to him devoid of meaning and joy. At the deathbed of his wife, the king turned gray with grief... And soon he declared two years of mourning in the country, during which holidays, dancing and music were prohibited. Later, in Agra, which was at that time the capital of the Mughal Empire, a mausoleum was erected over the grave of Mumtaz, which, according to Shah Jahan’s plan, should become a symbol of the fabulous beauty of his deceased wife...
The construction of this grandiose mausoleum, surpassing all others in beauty and size, lasted more than twenty years. More than twenty thousand people took part in the work, including the best architects and architects invited from Persia, Turkey, Samarkand, Venice and India itself. The finished work amazes with its perfection and the beauty of its lines and colors... Indeed, this is a miracle of miracles. For centuries. Light as a morning song, clear as a mountain spring... The height of the Taj Mahal together with the dome reaches 74 meters. At the corners of the mausoleum, four graceful minarets rise 42 meters high. The walls of the Taj Mahal are lined with white polished marble, shining like snow under the rays of the midday sun. Beautiful with its perfect forms, the Taj Mahal amazes with its details - elegant carvings, openwork lattices and precious colored stones sparkling in the snow-white walls. The vaulted passages are decorated with Arabic script, imprinting some of the surahs of the Koran on stone. A magnificent decorative park with lakes, fountains and canals was laid out around the Taj Mahal, occupying a total of 18 hectares. Unlike other structures, which were usually placed in the center of the garden, the Taj Mahal is located at its end, being its crown. Along the artificial canal with fountains, cypress trees are planted, the outlines of the crowns of which echo the domes of the four minarets... To the left and right of the mausoleum there are two elegant mosques made of red sandstone, their color shading the whiteness of its walls. (In fact, only one of them is a real mosque - the one facing the east, and the second structure is known as Jawab). Emerald green lawns and large bright flowers complement the picture, making it completely magical and fabulous. The precise and harmonious lines of the garden, combined with its crown - the mausoleum, floating like a cloud above the ground - created a work of art that is unique in its beauty... So bright, lively and joyful...

On the other side of the Yamuna, opposite the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan intended to build another tomb - for himself. According to the plan, his mausoleum was supposed to reproduce the forms of the Taj Mahal, but would be made not of white, but of black marble. Both mausoleums were supposed to be connected by a bridge. But, alas, the grandiose plans and plans of Shah Jahan were not destined to come true... As often happens in history, by the will of fate, the king lost his power overnight. And the once great Shah Jahan, the ruler of India, was imprisoned in heavy chains and thrown into prison... Seriously ill, gray-haired, lonely and exhausted... Once he owned the whole world, now he had nothing... Nothing except one thing - The only joy is the narrow prison window. Neither its endless valleys could be seen in it native land, no dark bushes of mango trees, no golden sunrise gentle sun... In the small frame of the window, only he was visible - like a dream, shining like a snow-white swan in the sky, the mausoleum of his long-dead beloved...
Later, the great and defeated king himself was buried in the same tomb, next to his beloved... Such is this beautiful and sad story, which gave us examples of great love and great creativity... The Taj Mahal remains the most wonderful and great Indo-Islamic work of art, revered today as the most beautiful building on earth, and being a place mandatory visit for any person traveling along this amazing country. I hope that the dear reader will find time and opportunity in his life to see this wonderful miracle with his own eyes. Because no photographs can convey the delight, joy and happiness that covers a person who finds himself next to him...

Now about the prosaic. The Taj Mahal is located on the outskirts of the city of Agra, which is 200 km south of the capital of India, Delhi. If you are in Delhi, you can take a day trip to visit the Taj Mahal, or you can stay in Agra for an extra day or two. The most convenient and in a fast way to get to Agra from Delhi is the Bhopal Shatabdi 2002 express train, departing from the New Delhi Railway Station, which is located next to Main Bazaar (Pahar Ganj district). Departure time is 06:15, and in just two hours you will be in Agra, which is incomparably faster than a bus, which will take at least 4-5 hours. The cost of a ticket for this train is about 400-750 rupees (depending on the class), you can purchase it at a special ticket office for foreigners, operating on the second floor of the station. This train does not operate on Fridays as the Taj Mahal is closed on that day. Upon arrival at the Agra railway station, you need to take a prepaid taxi and get to the Taj Mahal. Prepaid taxi is a government service that operates at many train stations and airports in India. Unlike private services, it offers minimum prices and maximum integrity. The prepaid taxi ticket office in Agra is located directly opposite the exit from the railway station; travel to the Taj Mahal costs about 150 rupees.
The Taj Mahal is entered through one of three gates - East, South or West. The cost of visiting the Taj Mahal for foreigners is 750 rupees, which is the most at a high price for all monuments and museums in India. You can't bring almost anything into the Taj except your camera, so leave anything you don't need in advance at Delhi, your hotel, or the locker at the entrance. The best time The best time to visit the Taj is early in the morning, when the snow-white mausoleum is golden in the rays of the rising sun, and crowds of people have not yet managed to fill everything around. If you want to see the Taj Mahal during this precious time, then it is easy to find an overnight stay in one of the many hotels that crowd around South Gate. This area is called Taj Ganj and this is where most tourists visiting Agra stay. At six o'clock in the morning you need to come to the Taj, buy a ticket and stand in line at the gate - then you will see the great masterpiece in its silent solitude, adorned with the golden glow of the new day...

Built in the second half of the 17th century by Shah Jihan, the magnificent Taj Mahal mausoleum is considered the pinnacle architectural structures Muslim type. The style in which the Taj Mahal was built is a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. The complex includes five main elements: a gate, a garden, a mosque, a jawab and the mausoleum itself. It is believed that Shah Jahan carefully selected and adjusted the design of the mausoleum, and the best architects of the East at that time worked on the project. The main idea of ​​the entire complex was worked out by Ustad Mohammed Isa Effendi, a Byzantine Turk. Shah Jahan personally chose the place to build the mausoleum, below Agra on the right bank of the Jamuna River. Construction lasted from 1631 to 1647, with more than 20 thousand workers constantly working on it.

The Taj Mahal was built on a piece of land south of the walled city of Agra. Shah Jahan exchanged a piece of land he liked, owned at that time by Maharaja Jai ​​Singh, for a palace in the very center of Agra.

The approximately three-acre (1.2 hectare) area was dug up and the soil was replaced to reduce water infiltration from the nearby river. The level of the construction site was raised 50 meters above the level of the river bank. In the place where the mausoleum is located today, wells were dug and filled with rubble stone, forming the foundation of the structure.

Instead of scaffolding made of tied bamboo (standard used in India today), large-scale scaffolding of brick was erected that surrounded the perimeter of the tomb. Interesting fact The point is that the scaffolding was so impressive in size that the construction managers feared that dismantling it could take years. But according to legend, Shah Jahan announced that anyone could take and keep as many bricks as they wanted, and the forests were dismantled by the peasants almost overnight.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum building, together with the surrounding park and other buildings, occupies an area of ​​17 hectares. Access to the mausoleum is open from the southern side of the garden, where there are two entrance portals on the same line. After passing the second gate, you enter the territory of a clearly planned garden, which is divided into squares by four canals, and the intersection point is the pool in the center of the park.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum stands on an artificial platform near the banks of the Jumna River. The author of the mausoleum is considered to be the Indian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The Taj Mahal is a compact building made of white marble with cut corners traditional for Indian architecture, crowned by a dome and four chattris at the corners of the roof. The building is entirely made of white marble, and the artificial platform is only lined with marble, but together they perfectly reflect the sun's rays, flooding everything around with sunlight.

On the eastern and western sides of the Taj Mahal mausoleum, strictly along the transverse axis, there are two red sandstone buildings with three white domes. The building on the right is “Jawab” - a shelter for pilgrims, and on the left is a mosque where memorial services were held; the buildings are symmetrical and fit perfectly into the complex.

In the center of the artificial platform there is a tomb; when viewed from above, it is a square with beveled corners. Inside, the walls are surrounded by a bypass corridor with octagonal chambers at every corner. In the very center there is a burial chamber, above which two domes are raised - one inside the other. The outer dome is topped with a spire, and the inner (smaller) dome serves to maintain proportions. Portals lead inside the burial chamber, one on each side.

Entering the burial chamber, you will see cenotaphs surrounded by an openwork marble fence; the original burials are located directly under the burial chamber.

The outside of the structure is crowned with an onion dome, raised high above the flat roof of the burial chamber. Simple proportions determine the relationship between the verticals: the width of the building is equal to its total height of 75 meters, and the distance from the floor level to the parapet above the arched portals is half the entire height.

The interior surfaces of the Taj Mahal are made with such grace that you can spend hours looking at the floral patterns made in stone. Gems and multi-colored marble were used in the decoration of the Taj Mahal; materials were supplied from all over the world.

A mosaic of multi-colored pieces of agate, carnelian, onyx, turquoise, amber, jasper and coral reproduces the flower garlands and bouquets decorating the walls of the funeral hall. The epigraphic decor is made of black marble, reproducing the suras of the Koran.

 

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