A story about the Taj Mahal. History of the creation of the Taj Mahal (India, Agra): interesting facts, photos. Shah Jahan and his Love

This is the greatest monument of India, which was built in the name of love and extraordinary devotion to a woman. 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 from Emperor Shah Jahan to his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor ordered to find the best craftsmen who would build a mausoleum so beautiful that it would have no analogues in the world.

Today, the Taj Mahal is on the list of the seven most majestic monuments in the world. Built from white marble, decorated with gold and semi-precious stones, the Taj Mahal has become one of the most beautiful buildings in architecture. It is unrecognizable 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 world's recognized masterpieces. For many centuries it has inspired artists, musicians and poets who have tried to translate the invisible magic of this structure 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 after centuries, it still captivates visitors with its architecture that tells the story of mysterious story deep love.

The Taj Mahal, translated as "Palace with a Dome", is today considered the best preserved, architecturally beautiful mausoleum in the world. Some call it "elegy in marble", for others the Taj Mahal is eternal symbol 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 love pangs of the emperor, 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 architectural monuments that are now associated with the face of India. Such as the Pearl Mosque located in Agra, Shahjahanabad (now Old Delhi), Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am, which are 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 forever immortalized his name.

Shah Jahan had several wives. In 1607, he was engaged to a young girl, Arjumanad Banu Begam, who was only 14 years old at that time, and the wedding took place five years later. During the ceremony, Shah Jahan's father, Jahangir, named his daughter-in-law Mumtaz Mahal, which translated meant "Jewel of the Palace."

According to the chronicles of Qazwani, "the emperor's relations with other wives were merely formal, and all the attention, favor, intimacy and deep affection that Jahan felt for Mumtaz was a thousand times stronger in relation to his other wives."

Shah Jahan, the "Lord of the World", was a great patron of crafts and trade, art and gardens, science and architecture. He took charge of the empire in 1628 after the death of his father and rightfully earned the reputation of a merciless ruler. After a series of successful military campaigns, Emperor Shah Jahan significantly increased the territory of the Mongol Empire. At the height 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, which cannot be compared with anything in the world. Whether it was so or not, Shah Jahan translated his wealth and all his love for Mumtaz into the creation of the promised monument.

Until the end of his days, Shah Jahan looked at his beautiful creation, but no longer in the role of a ruler, but as a prisoner. He was imprisoned at the Red Fort in Agra by his own son Aurangzeb, who seized the throne in 1658. 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 be taken to the window overlooking the Taj Mahal, where he whispered the name of his beloved for the last time.

Mumtaz married on 10 May 1612 after five years of engagement. This date was chosen for the couple by court astrologers, claiming that this was the most favorable day for marriage. And they turned out to be right, the marriage turned out to be happy for both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. During their lifetime, all poets praised 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 her husband’s inseparable companion until her death.

Over the 19 years of her marriage, Mumtaz gave birth to 14 children to the emperor, but the last birth was fatal. Mumtaz dies during childbirth and her body is temporarily buried in Burhanpur.

The chroniclers of the imperial court paid unusually much attention to Shah Jahan's experiences in connection with the death of his wife. The emperor was so inconsolable that after Mumtaz's death, he spent a whole year in seclusion. When he came to his senses, 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 stopped using 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 with 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 come to fruition.

Construction of the Taj Mahal

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in December 1631. It was the fulfillment of Shah Jahan's promise to Mumtaz Mahal in the last moments of her life that he would build a monument that could match her beauty. Construction of the central mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the entire complex was completed in 1653, five years later.

Nobody 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 many sources, it can be argued that a team of architects worked on the project.

Just like 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 realize Shah Jahan's fantasy. Sculptors came from Bukhara, calligraphers from Persia and Syria, inlay was carried out by craftsmen from south india, stonemasons came from Balochistan, and materials were brought from all over Central Asia and India.

Architecture of Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal consists of the following buildings:

Main entrance (Darwaza)
Mausoleum (Rauza)
Gardens (Bageecha)
Mosque (Masjid)
Guest House (Naqqar Khana)

The mausoleum is surrounded by a guest house on one side and a mosque on the other. The white marble building is surrounded by four minarets that tilt at outside so as not to damage the central dome when destroyed. The complex stands in a garden with a huge swimming pool, which reflects a copy of the beauty of the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal Garden

The Taj Mahal is surrounded by a 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 garden area occupies most of the complex, 300x300 m, with a total area of 300x580 m.

Since the number 4 is considered a holy number in Islam, the entire structure of the Taj Mahal garden is based on the number 4 and its multiples. A 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 pedestrian paths.

The trees in the garden are either fruit trees, which represent life, or the cypress family, which represent death. The Taj Mahal itself is located not 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

Around the middle of the 19th century, the Taj Mahal became a place for have a nice holiday. Girls danced on the terrace, and the guest house and mosque were 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 remove 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, planned to dismantle the monument and sell its marble. They say that the destruction of the mausoleum was prevented only by the lack of buyers.

The Taj Mahal suffered even more during the Indian Rebellion 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 without maintenance.

The decline lasted for many years until Lord Kenzon (Governor General of India) organized a large-scale restoration project of the monument, which was completed in 1908. The building has been completely renovated and the garden and canals have been restored. All this helped restore the Taj Mahal to its former glory.

Many people criticize the British for their bad attitude towards the Taj Mahal, but the Indians treated it no better. As Agra's population increased, the structure began to suffer from acid rain caused by pollution, which discolored its white marble. The future of the monument was under threat until the late 1990s Supreme Court India has not decided to move all particularly dangerous hazardous industries outside the city limits.

The Taj Mahal is the best example of Mongolian architecture. It combines elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian architectural schools. In 1983 the monument was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO, and has been called "the crown jewel of all Muslim art in India and a masterpiece of world heritage, universally admired."

The Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India for tourists, attracting about 2.5 million travelers every year. It is considered one of the most recognizable structures in the world, and the history behind its construction makes it the greatest monument to love ever built in the world.

Taj Mahal (India) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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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 wide 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 interior 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- This mausoleum-mosque, which is in India in the city Agra. In the mosque you can see elements of both Indian and Persian styles. India's Taj Mahal has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.

The most famous component of the mosque is, of course, the white dome. Twenty thousand craftsmen and artisans worked on it. Construction lasted from 1632 to 1953. The Taj Mahal is a five-domed structure 74 meters high; there are four minarets on the platform in the corners of the mosque. 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 construction, stones such as agate, malachite, turquoise, carnelian and others were used. In bright sunlight, marble appears white, at dawn it appears pink, and on a moonlit night it appears silver.

The history of the Taj Mahal romantic and sad, it tells about the love story of the padishah and his wife. The mosque became last refuge Mumtaz Mahal, wife of the padishah Shah Jahan, who died at thirty-eight during childbirth, giving birth to her fourteenth child. At the age of nineteen she was married off, and she became the third and most beloved wife of the padishah. The Taj Mahal is their symbol 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. It was in honor of Mumtaz Mahal that the Taj Mahal was built.

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. Abstract forms are used in the pedestal, gates, tomb surfaces, minarets and mosque. There are also images of vines and flowers.

There are two tombs inside the Taj Mahal: 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 Mumtaz's coffin. The bodies of the spouses are not buried in them, since decorating the graves is prohibited. Their bodies lie in ordinary crypts, and their faces are turned towards Mecca. On the lid of Mumtaz's tomb is a triangular diamond that was designed to be written on. Calligraphic inscriptions on the tombstone praise the late wife of the padishah. Despite the large harem, all the love and tenderness of Jahan belonged only to her.

Shah Jahan had six wives and several concubines. The remaining wives are buried in separate mausoleums located outside the walls of the central room. Also, the beloved servant Mumtaz Mahal is buried in one of these mausoleums.

Over time and due to environmental pollution, the white walls of this magical building began to turn yellow. And due to the movement of the soil, cracks were even noticed on the walls. Despite all this, the Taj Mahal mosque-mausoleum in the city of Agra was and remains one of the most beloved tourist places in India and is rightfully considered one of the 7 wonders of the world!

The Taj Mahal is the most grandiose and mysterious architectural monument dedicated to love. Today this mosque is recognized as a new wonder of the world and is under the protection of UNESCO. This famous structure is located in India and has no analogues in the world. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year, captivated by the romantic story of its creation. Read in this article the creation of the Taj Mahal (India, Agra): Interesting Facts, photos, convenient time of visit and of course, an unforgettable love story.

Taj Mahal - a love story

With the love story that became the reason for the construction of the attraction, you need to start getting acquainted with this mausoleum in India. The history of creation says that the Taj Mahal mausoleum-mosque was built by order of Shah Jahan, the ruler and emperor of the Mughal Empire. The great ruler suffered great sorrow, his beloved wife died during the birth of his fourteenth baby. For a whole year, the emperor could not come to terms with the loss, and then decided to build the most majestic and beautiful tomb in the world in memory of his late wife.

Thus began the construction of the temple, which lasted for 21 years. This story architectural gem shows that the heart of the great ruler of an entire people belonged to only one woman. By the way, Jahan’s love, Mumtaz was the third wife in the harem. The girl ended up in the ruler’s harem when she turned 19, and all the years that the couple were together, the emperor doted on his wife. Architectural monument included in the 7 wonders of the modern world.

Construction and architecture of the Taj Mahal

It remains a mystery who built and was the author of the Taj Mahal project. In those days, the work of architects in the Islamic world was not held in high esteem; all the laurels and glory about the greatness of the structures went to the customer, and therefore only the name of Shah Jahan is mentioned in the chronicles in connection with the construction of the shrine. According to historians, the main idea of the structure belonged to the then famous architect Ustad Ahmad Lakhauri. It is the style of this architect that is clearly visible in the architecture of the mosque.

Construction began in the winter of 1632. The construction involved 20,000 people recruited from the emperor’s subjects and brought from neighboring states. Only the best craftsmen were given the honor of participating in construction work, because according to the emperor’s idea, the tomb of his beloved wife was supposed to be perfection.

Architecture Features

The most remarkable feature of the architecture of this building is the optical illusion; it surprises not only tourists, but also famous architects. The illusion lies in the fact that a person is accustomed to the fact that when he approaches an object, the object increases, and when he moves away, the object decreases. Here everything is the other way around. As you approach the temple, it visually becomes smaller, and the closer you are, the smaller the temple. And when you move backwards, the structure becomes larger and larger, and in the end it practically hangs over the person.

The structure is divided into two parts, one symbolizing worldly life, the other the afterlife, unknown and inexplicable. Connecting these two worlds is a path with a pond, which originates from the arch of the mausoleum. This road of transition between two worlds.

Inside the attraction, tourists are greeted by a chic octagonal hall with luxurious columns. The walls are strewn with incredibly beautiful precious stones and gems that were collected all over the world. The ruler's ambassadors also came to Russia to buy rare varieties of malachite and jasper. Behind a marble screen are two shining sarcophagi of the Jahan couple. In fact, these tombs are not real; the graves of the spouses are underground.

Robbery of the tomb

Today it is known that during the civil uprising of 1857, the British captured gold, which was used to decorate the spiers of the tomb. The soldiers also removed most of the precious stones from the walls of the Taj Mahal. Many argue that the looting was much larger. According to legend, doors made of carved jasper, as well as diamonds and Persian carpets, disappeared.

Today it is impossible to say for sure what was really stolen, but after the uprising, the British Viceroy in India made every effort to restore the wonder of the world, spending a lot of money on it. To prevent this from happening again during the Second World War, scaffolding was erected around the building, which was able to disguise the wonder of the world and it remained untouched.

Sinking Palace

For the construction of the shrine, the builders built a special platform, which rose 50 meters above the river level. Today, under the influence of natural factors, the Taj Mahal began to settle. This causes serious concern for local authorities, because the shrine is covered in cracks and, according to many experts, it may simply collapse in the near future.

Today, numerous projects are being developed that could stop the destruction of the Taj Mahal, but there is still no consensus on how to preserve the shrine. There is another opinion; some archaeologists claim that there is no serious danger to the safety of the shrine. According to the results of their research, the building gave insignificant settlement and over 70 years of observation, its condition remained satisfactory.

The Taj Mahal is a monument of Mughal style architecture, which combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their fourteenth child (Shah Jahan himself was later buried here). The Taj Mahal is located in the western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, and is represented by an entire architectural complex, and not just the well-known marble mausoleum. Construction of the building began around 1632 and was completed in 1653; 20 thousand artisans and craftsmen worked. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is called "the jewel of Muslim art in India, one of the universally recognized masterpieces of heritage, admired throughout the world."

The Taj Mahal is located south of the city walls of the city of Agra. Shah Jahan exchanged this plot, owned by Maharaja Jai Singh I, for Grand Palace in the center of Agra. Construction of the foundations and mausoleum took about 12 years, and the rest of the complex was completed after another 10 years. Since the complex was built in several stages, there are several completion dates. For example, the mausoleum was built in 1643, but work on the rest of the complex was completed in 1653. The estimated cost of construction of the Taj Mahal varies depending on sources and calculation methods. The approximate total cost of construction is estimated at 32 million rupees, which in today's money is several trillion dollars.

Construction began with excavation work on a site of approximately three acres (12,000 m2), the bulk of which consisted of leveling and raising the surface of the area by 50 meters above the river level. Wells were dug at the site of the mausoleum, which, filled with rubble stone, formed the foundations of the structure. Instead of scaffolding of tied bamboo, large-scale scaffolding of brick was erected to surround the tomb. They were so impressive in size that the craftsmen in charge of the construction feared that dismantling them could take years. 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. A 15 km long rammed earth ramp was built to transport marble and other materials. Groups of 20-30 oxen pulled the blocks on specially designed carts. Water for construction was extracted from the river using a rope-bucket system using animal power and drained into a large reservoir, from where it rose to a distribution tank. From there it was distributed into three auxiliary tanks and transported through pipes to the construction complex.

Construction materials were purchased from many regions of India and Asia. More than 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials during construction. Brilliant white marble comes from Rajasthan, jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphires from Sri Lanka and carnelian from Arabia. A total of 28 types of different precious and semi-precious stones are embedded in the white marble of the Taj Mahal.

The name Taj Mahal can be translated as “The Greatest Palace” (where Taj is the crown and mahal is the palace). The name Shah Jahan can be translated as “Ruler of the World” (where Shah is the ruler, Jahan is the world, the universe). The name Mumtaz Mahal can be translated as “Chosen One of the Palace” (where Mumtaz is the best, mahal is palace, courtyard). Similar meanings of words are preserved in Arabic, Hindi and some other languages.

More than 20,000 people who came from all over Northern India took part in the construction. Among the group of 37 people responsible for the artistic appearance of the complex were sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, inlay craftsmen from southern India, stonemasons from Balochistan, as well as a specialist in the construction of towers and a master in cutting marble ornaments.

History has preserved very few names of craftsmen and architects, since at that time in the Islamic world, patrons were mainly praised, not architects. From contemporary sources it is known that the construction was supervised by a large team of architects. There are mentions that Shah Jahan himself personally participated in the construction more than any other Mughal ruler before him. He held daily meetings with architects and superintendents, and historians say he often proposed ideas or adjusted ideas they proposed. Two architects are mentioned by name: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri and Mir Abdul Karim.

Famous builders of the Taj Mahal are:

Ustad Ahmad Lahauri from Iran is the chief architect. Mir Abdul Karim from Shiraz (Iran) is one of the main leaders. Ismail Afandi from Ottoman Empire- builder of the main dome of the mausoleum. Iranians Ustad Isa and Isa Muhamed Efendi are believed to have played a key role in architectural design. Puru from Benarus (Iran) is the supervising architect. Gazim Khan from Lahore - cast a gold tip for the mausoleum. Chiranjilal from Delhi is a master sculptor and mosaic artist. Amanat Han from Shiraz (Iran) is a master calligrapher. Mohamed Hanif, chief masonry supervisor. Mukarimat Han from Shiraz (Iran) is the general manager.

The main elements of the architectural complex of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal's architectural style incorporates and expands on the building traditions of Islam, Persia, India, and the Mughals (although modern research into the monument's architecture points to French influence, especially in the interior). The overall design is based on the architecture of a series of Timurid and Mughal buildings, including the Gur Emir (Tomb of Tamerlane), I'timād-ud-Daulah and Jama Masjid in Delhi. Under the patronage of Shah Jahan, Mughal architectural style reached a new level. Before the construction of the Taj Mahal, the main building material was red sandstone, but the emperor promoted the use of white marble and semi-precious stones.

The tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula (1622-1628), also called the Baby Taj, is located in the city of Agra. The architecture of the mausoleum resembles a smaller Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal Plan:

1. Garden Moonlight 2. Yamuna River 3. Minarets 4. Mausoleum - Mosque 6. Guest House (Jawab) 7. Garden (Charbagh) 8. Great Gate (Safe Access) 9. Outer Courtyard 10. Bazaar (Taj Ganji)

Moonlight Garden.

To the north of the Taj Mahal complex, across the Yamuna River, there is another garden belonging to the complex. It is made in a style characteristic of Agra, and is one with the embankment on the north side of the river. The width of the garden is identical to the width of the main part of the complex. The entire design of the garden is focused on its center, which is a large octagonal pool, which serves as a kind of mirror for the Taj Mahal. Since Mughal times, the garden has experienced numerous floods that devastated large parts of it. Of the four sandstone towers located in the border corners of the garden, only one, located in the south-eastern part, has survived. There are remains of two buildings located at the north and south end of the garden, which are believed to be garden buildings. On the north side, there was a waterfall that flows into the pool. The water supply comes from aqueducts on the western side.

Mausoleum.

The centerpiece and main element of the Taj Mahal complex is the 68-meter-high white marble mausoleum. It is located on a square-shaped hill with a side of 100 meters and a height of about 7 meters. There are four minarets in the four corners of this square. The mausoleum was built in accordance with strict rules of symmetry, and is a square with a side of 56.6 meters, with cut corners in which arched niches are placed. The structure is almost perfectly symmetrical about four axes, and consists of several floors: a basement floor containing the actual tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz, a main floor that contains identical cenotaphs of the tombs below, and roof terraces.

The Taj Mahal has an optical focus. If you move with your back to the exit, facing the Taj Mahal, it will seem that this temple is huge compared to the trees and environment.

Spire: its height is 10 meters, it was originally built of gold, but after being looted by the British colonialists, it was replaced with a bronze copy. Lotus: carved contours at the top of the dome, in the shape of a lotus. Main dome: also called “amrud”, height 75 meters. Drum: cylindrical base of the dome. Guldasta: decorative spiers along the edges of the walls. Additional domes (Chatri): elevations above the balconies in the form of small domes. Framing: closing the panel on the arches. Calligraphy: Stylized Koranic verses above the main arch. Niches: in the four corners of the mausoleum there are six niches located on two levels. Panels: decorative panels framing the main walls.

The entrance to the mausoleum is made with four huge arches, in the upper part, representing a cut-off dome. The top of each arch extends beyond the roof using an addition to the façade.

In general, the building is topped with five domes, arranged completely symmetrically, like the rest of the complex. All domes have lotus leaf decorations at the top. The largest of them (18 meters in diameter and 24 in height) is located in the center, and the other four smaller ones (8 meters in diameter) are located around the central one. The height of the central dome is emphasized and further increased by a cylindrical element (drum), which is exposed above the roof to a height of 7 meters, and on which the dome rests. This element, however, is almost invisible; it is hidden from view by the protruding part of the entrance arches. This gives the impression that the dome is much larger than it actually is. Tall decorative spiers are built in the corners of the outer walls, which also provide a visual accent to the height of the dome.

The thickness of the walls of the mausoleum is 4 meters. The main building materials are red sandstone and brick. In fact, a small outer layer with a thickness of only 15 centimeters is made of marble.

The hierarchical sequence of the entire complex eventually converges in the main hall containing the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The cenotaph of Mumtaz is installed in the geometric center of the building. Surrounding the cenotaphs is an octagonal screen consisting of eight intricately carved marble panels. The interior decoration is made entirely of marble, and decorated with precious stones arranged in concentric octagons. This arrangement is characteristic of Islamic and Indian culture, for whom spiritual and astrological topics are important. The walls from the inside are richly decorated with plant flowers, writings and ornaments, symbolizing the resurrection in the Garden of Eden.

Muslim traditions prohibit decorating graves and bodies, so Shah Jahan and Mumtaz are buried in a simpler room located below the cenotaph hall. Mumtaz's cenotaph measures 2.5 by 1.5 m and is decorated with inscriptions extolling her character. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located on the western side of the cenotaph of Mumtaz and is the only asymmetrical element of the entire complex.

Mosque and guest house (Jawab).

On the western and eastern sides of the mausoleum, with facades facing it, there are a mosque and a guest house (Jawab - translated as “answer”, it is believed that this building was built for symmetry with the mosque, and was used as a guest house), measuring 56x23 meters and 20 meters in height. Unlike the mausoleum, built of white marble, these structures are built of red sandstone, but are located on the same hill as the mausoleum with minarets. These buildings are completed by 3 domes, where the central dome is slightly larger than the others, and 4 octagonal towers in the corners. In front of each of the two buildings there is a water tank: in front of the mosque, water is necessary for the ablution ritual.

True, there are some differences between these two buildings. For example, in a mosque there is a niche indicating the direction to Mecca (mihrab), in guest house she's not there. Another difference is the way the floors in these buildings are made; if in the mosque the floor was laid out in the form of the outlines of 569 prayer rugs, then in the guest house on the floor there are writings quoting the Koran.

Minarets.

The minarets have the shape of a truncated cone with a height of 41.6 meters, and are located on the same marble terrace as the mausoleum. They are slightly inclined outward so that in the event of a strong earthquake and collapse they will not damage the mausoleum. The minarets are slightly lower than the central dome of the mausoleum, and seem to emphasize its grandeur. Like the mausoleum, they are completely covered with white marble, but the supporting structure is made of brick.

They were designed as functioning minarets, a traditional element of mosques. Each minaret is actually divided into three equal parts by two rows of balconies. At the top of the tower there is another row of balconies, and the structure is completed by a dome, similar to those installed on the mausoleum. All domes have the same decorative elements in the form of a lotus and a gilded spire. Inside each minaret, along its entire length, there is a large spiral staircase.

Garden.

The garden is a square with a side of 300 m, divided into 4 equal parts by two canals that intersect in the middle, and has a characteristic appearance of the Mughal era. Inside there are flower beds, shady streets and water channels that create a striking effect, reflecting the image of the building behind them. Each square formed by the channels is in turn divided into 4 more parts by paved paths. It is said that 400 trees were planted in each of these small squares.

To correct the fact that the mausoleum is located in the northern part of the garden, and not in its center, a pool was placed at the intersection of two canals (in the center of the garden and the entire complex), which reflects the image of the mausoleum. On the south side of the pool, a bench is installed in the center: this is an invitation to the visitor to admire the entire complex from an ideal vantage point.

The structure of the garden goes back to the very vision of paradise at that time: it was believed that paradise is an ideal garden abundantly irrigated with water. The idea of the garden as a symbol of paradise is reinforced by the inscriptions on the Great Gate, inviting one to enter heaven.

Most Mughal-era gardens were rectangular in shape with a tomb or pavilion in the center. Architectural complex The Taj Mahal is unusual in that the main element (the mausoleum) is located at the end of the garden. With the opening of the Moonlight Garden on the other side of the Yamuna River, the Archaeological Survey of India began to interpret this to mean that the Yamuna River itself was included in the garden's design and was to be seen as one of the rivers of Paradise. The similarities in the layout of the garden and its architectural features with the Shalimar Gardens suggests that they may have been designed by the same architect, Ali Mardan.

Very similar to the Taj Mahal both in Mughal origin and in appearance is the tomb of Humayun in Delhi. This tomb of the Mughal emperor was also built as a sign of great love - not just a husband for his wife, but a wife for her husband. Despite the fact that Humayun's tomb was built earlier, and Shah Jahan, when constructing his masterpiece, was guided by the architectural experience of Humayun's tomb, it is little known in comparison with the Taj Mahal.

Great Gate.

The Great Gate has a special meaning in Islamic architecture: it symbolizes the transition point between the bustle and noise of the external material world and the spiritual world, where calm and spiritual peace reign.

The Great Gate is quite large building(41 by 34 meters and 23 meters in height), divided into three floors, built of red sandstone and marble. The entrance has the shape of a pointed arch, which is located in the center of the structure. The gate, like all other parts of the complex, is designed to be symmetrical. The height of the gate is exactly half the height of the mausoleum.

On top of the great gate is crowned with 22 small domes, located in two rows along the inner and outer edges of the gate. In each of the four corners of the structure there are big towers, thus repeating the architecture of the mausoleum. The Great Gate is decorated with quotations from the Koran in carefully chosen places.

Courtyard.

Courtyard (Dzilauhana) - which literally means the front of the house. It served as a place where visitors could leave their horses or elephants before entering the main part complex. Two smaller copies of the main mausoleum are located in the southern corners of the courtyard. They are located on a small platform, which can be reached by stairs. Today it is not clear who is buried in these graves, but it is known that they are women. Two small buildings were built in the northern corners of the courtyard; they served as housing for visitors to the mausoleum and believers. These structures were destroyed in the 18th century, but were restored in the early 20th century, after which (until 2003) the building on the east served as a gardener's area, and the western one as a barn.

Bazaar (Taj Ganji).

The bazaar (market) was built as part of the complex, initially used for workers' housing, and later as a place to store supplies and a space that complements the entire architectural ensemble. The territory of the bazaar was small town during the construction of the Taj Mahal. It was originally known as Mumtazabad (Mumtazabad city), and is now called Taj Ganji.

After its construction, Taj Ganji became a frequent city and the center of economic activity of the city of Agra, bringing goods from all parts of the empire and the world. The area of the market was constantly changing, and after construction in the 19th century, it no longer corresponded to the original plans of the builders. Most of the ancient buildings and structures were demolished or rebuilt.

Other buildings.

The Taj Mahal complex is surrounded on three sides by a red sandstone wall, and on the fourth side there is an embankment and the Yamuna River. Outside the walls of the complex, additional mausoleums were built for Shah Jahan's other wives, and a larger mausoleum for his beloved maid Mumtaz.

Water supply.

The architects of the Taj Mahal provided the complex with a complex system of pipes. Water is supplied from the nearby Yamuna River through a system of underground pipes. In order to collect water from the river, a rope system with buckets was used, driven by several oxen.

In order to ensure the necessary pressure in the pipe system, the main tank was raised to a height of 9.5 meters, and to equalize the pressure throughout the entire area of the complex, 3 additional tanks were used, located in different parts of the complex. In order to supply water to all parts of the monument, terracotta pipes with a diameter of 0.25 meters were used, which were buried to a depth of 1.8 meters.

The original pipe system is still present and in use, proving the skill of the builders who were able to create a system that lasted for almost 500 years without the necessary maintenance. However, it is worth noting that some underground water pipes were nevertheless replaced in 1903 with new cast iron pipes.

Threats

In 1942, to protect the Taj Mahal from attacks by the German Luftwaffe and later the Japanese Air Force, protective scaffolding was erected by order of the government. Protective forests were built again during the India-Pakistan War in 1965 and 1971.

Later, threats came from environmental pollution along the banks of the Yamuna River, including from the activities of the Mathura Refinery. Due to pollution, a yellow coating formed on the domes and walls of the Taj Mahal. To control pollution at the monument, the Indian government has created a 10,400 square kilometer zone around it where strict emission standards apply.

Airplanes are prohibited from flying over the Taj Mahal.

Recently, a threat to the structural integrity of the Taj Mahal has emerged due to the declining groundwater level in the Yamuna river basin, which is falling at a rate of about 5 feet per year. In 2010, cracks appeared in some parts of the mausoleum and the minarets that surround the monument. This is due to the process of rotting of the wooden supports of the base of the monument that began, in the absence of water. According to some forecasts, the tomb could collapse within five years.

History of the Taj Mahal.

Period of Mughal rule (1632 - 1858)

Immediately after the construction of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan's own son Aurangzeb placed it under House arrest. When Shah Jahan died, Aurangzeb buried him next to his wife inside the Taj Mahal. The complex has been clean and well maintained for almost a hundred years, financed by taxes from the market and the rich royal treasury. In the mid-18th century, maintenance costs for the complex dropped significantly, resulting in the complex being barely maintained.

In many tourist guides it is said that after the overthrow of Shah Jahan from the windows of the dungeon for many years, until his death, he sadly admired his creation - the Taj Mahal. Usually these stories mention the Red Fort - the palace of Shah Jahan, built by him at the zenith of his reign, part of the chambers of which his son Aurangzeb turned into a luxurious prison for his father. However, here the publications confuse the Delhi Red Fort (hundreds of kilometers from the Taj Mahal) and the Red Fort in Agra, also built by the Great Mughals, but earlier, and which is really located next to the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan, according to Indian researchers, was kept in Delhi's Red Fort and could not see the Taj Mahal from there.

British period (1858th-1947th)

During the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the Taj Mahal was destroyed by British soldiers and officers. At the end of the 19th century, the British Viceroy in India, Lord Curzon, organized the restoration of the Taj Mahal, which was completed in 1908. Additionally, the gardens inside the Taj Mahal were restored in a British style that continues to this day. In 1942, during World War II, the government decided to create protective scaffolding over the mausoleum, fearing possible attacks by the German Luftwaffe and later by the Imperial Japanese Air Force.

Modern period (1947th -)

During the wars between India and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, the Taj Mahal was also surrounded by protective forests. Later, threats emerged from environmental pollution along the banks of the Yamuna River, including from the activities of the Mathura Oil Refinery. Due to pollution, a yellow coating formed on the domes and walls of the Taj Mahal. To control pollution at the monument, the Indian government has created a 10,400 square kilometer zone around it where strict emission standards apply. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Legends and myths of the Taj Mahal.

Black Taj Mahal.

One of the most famous legends states that Shah Jahan planned to build his own black marble mausoleum on the other side of the Yamuna River, symmetrical to the Taj Mahal, and wanted to connect them with a silver bridge. This can be evidenced by the remains of black marble across the Yamuna River, in the Moonlight Garden. However, excavations in the 1990s revealed that it was white marble used to build the Taj Mahal, which changed color over time and became black. This legend can be confirmed by the fact that in 2006, after the reconstruction of the pool in the Moonlight Garden, a dark reflection of the white Taj Mahal could be seen in its water. This legend became known from the notes of Jean-Baptiste Taverniera, European traveler who visited Agra in 1665. His notes note that Shah Jahan was dethroned by his son Aurangzeb before construction of the black Taj Mahal began.

Killing and maiming of workers.

A famous myth tells that Shah Jahan, after building the Taj Mahal, killed or maimed the craftsmen and architects so that they could not build something as magnificent. Some other stories claim that the builders signed a contract agreeing not to participate in the construction of any similar structure. However, it is known that the builders of the Taj Mahal later built the Jama Masjid in Delhi.

Italian architect.

In response to the question of who designed the Taj Mahal? The West created a myth about the Italian architect, since Italy was the center of modern art in the 17th century. The founder of this myth is a missionary from the Augustinian Order, Father Don Manrique. He proclaimed the architect of the Taj Mahal to be an Italian named Geronimo Veroneo because he was in India at the time of construction. The statement is very controversial due to the fact that Geronimo Veroneo was not an architect, he produced and sold jewelry. In addition, there is no evidence in early European sources that Western architects could design in the style of other cultures with which they were not previously familiar.

Demolition of the Taj Mahal by the British.

Although there is no concrete evidence, it is mentioned that the British Lord William Bentinck (Governor General of India in the 1830s) planned to demolish the Taj Mahal to auction off the white marble from which it was built. His biographer John Rosselli says the story arose because William Bentinck was involved in the sale of marbles taken from the Agra Fort.

Taj Mahal - temple of the god Shiva.

Indian historian P. N. Oak claims that the Taj Mahal was originally used as a Hindu temple to the god Shiva, and Shah Jahan simply began to use it differently. This version was rejected as unfounded and lacking evidence in the form historical facts. The Supreme Court of India has rejected P. N. Oak's request to declare the Taj Mahal a Hindu cultural monument.

Looting of the Taj Mahal.

Although it is known that the British stole gold from the spiers of the Taj Mahal, and the precious stones that decorated the walls of the mausoleum, there are myths that suggest that many other decorations were stolen from the Taj Mahal. History says that the cenotaphs of the Shah and his wife were gilded and decorated with diamonds, the doors of the mausoleum were made of carved jasper, and the space inside was decorated with rich carpets.

Tours of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal attracts a large number of tourists. UNESCO documented more than 2 million visitors in 2001, including more than 200 thousand from abroad. The cost of admission is two-tiered, with a significantly lower price for Indian citizens and a higher price for foreigners. The use of internal combustion engine vehicles is prohibited near the complex and tourists must either walk from the car park or take an electric bus to reach it.

Operating mode.

The monument is open to visitors from 6 am to 7 pm, with the exception of Fridays and the month of Ramadan, when the complex is open for believers. In addition, the complex opens at night on the day of the full moon, two days before the full moon and two days after the full moon. The museum inside the Taj Mahal complex is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, admission is free.

Every year from February 18 to 27, the Taj Mahotsav festival is held in Agra, in the place where the master creators of the Taj Mahal lived. The festival celebrates the arts and crafts of the Mughal era and Indian culture in general. At the festival you can see processions with the participation of elephants and camels, drummer shows and colorful performances.

Cost and visiting rules.

An entrance ticket to the complex will cost a foreigner 750 rupees (435 rubles). This high cost is explained by the fact that it consists of the entrance tax of the Archaeological Society of India (250 rupees or 145 rubles) and the fee of the Agra Development Department (500 rupees or 290 rubles). Children under 15 years old have free admission.

Night session tickets for the cultural site cost Rs 750 for foreigners and Rs 500 for Indian citizens and must be purchased 24 hours before the visit from the Archaeological Society of India ticket office on Mall Road. The ticket price includes a half-liter bottle of water, shoe covers, a guide map for Agra, and travel by electric transport.

When entering the Taj Mahal, visitors will have to go through a security screening procedure: a frame, a manual search, things are scanned and are necessarily inspected manually. Your camera and other unnecessary items must be placed in a storage room. You can only film the mausoleum with a video camera from afar. Just take pictures up close. You cannot take photographs inside the mausoleum itself; this is strictly monitored by the staff of the complex.

It is prohibited to bring into the complex: food, matches, lighters, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, food supplies, knives, electronic devices, tripods.

How to get there.

The city of Agra is well connected to major cities of the country and is located on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur). possible in several ways.

1. By plane from Delhi 2. By rail from any large city 3. By car Distance to major cities:

Bharatpur - 57 km, Delhi - 204 km, Jaipur - 232 km, Khajuraho - 400 km, Lucknow - 369 km

Best time of year to visit Taj Mahal: November to February. At other times it is usually either too hot or too damp.

The properties of the stone from which the Taj Mahal is built are such that it changes its color depending on the angle of light falling on it. Thus, it makes sense to arrive here at dawn and, after spending the whole day, leave at sunset to absorb all the diversity of colors. To see a masterpiece in divine golden shades, you can arrive in advance in the evening at one of the hotels located near South Gate(Taj Ganj area) Taj Mahal and come here early in the morning when the complex opens. At six o'clock in the morning you have a chance to see the Taj Mahal in silent solitude and in all its grandeur: during the day the complex is filled with crowds of tourists.

The city itself, Agra, is quite dirty and inhospitable, so you shouldn’t spend a lot of time traveling here. One day is enough to touch the beauty and get to know the “legend made of stone.”

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