The river on which the Taj Mahal mausoleum was built. The Taj Mahal, a monument to a love story. Moonlight Garden

This grandiose mausoleum is called a monument to immortal love, and for many centuries everyone has been concerned about its romantic history of creation. Recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal has been protected by UNESCO since 1983. The most famous thing in India, which has no analogues in the whole world, characterizes the entire era of the reign of the emperor.

The sadness and tenderness expressed in the stone make all travelers stop in admiration before the majestic masterpiece of art, telling about amazing love.

History of creation

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in the city of Agra. It was erected by order of the grandson of the country's ruler Shah Jahan, who dreamed of fulfilling the will of his wife who died during childbirth.

They are all tested, including eternity. It is surprising that historical chronicles record the tender and romantic relationship between the ruler and his wife, whom the emperor affectionately called Taj Mahal, which translated means “the pride of the palace.” This is very rare for Muslims, because strong love most often manifests itself for God and their homeland, but not for a woman.

Ancient legends

A beautiful legend says that after the tragic death of his beloved, the emperor did not leave his chambers for a week, and when his subjects saw their master, they did not recognize him: he had aged several years and turned gray. Shah Jahan renounced the throne, indulging in intense grief for his wife who had left forever.

True, there is also a less romantic version, which says that the ruler was overthrown by his own son, explaining his behavior by the fact that his father’s grandiose projects were ruining the country. But this is no longer very important for posterity, because the value of a world-famous monument is not diminished by this.

Oath fulfilled

Shah Jahan remembered how the mother of his children once asked him to build beautiful palace. The ruler, distraught with grief, vowed to build the most luxurious tomb in the world. In memory of his wife, large-scale construction of a majestic structure began.

Thus, thanks to official records made by the subjects of the Muslim king, we became aware of the official history of creation. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most expensive buildings in the world, on which huge amounts of money were spent.

The rest of his life spent in prison

There is another legend about the emperor’s desire to build a second similar structure, but he did not have time to do this. And all that was left for him after he was overthrown by his own son was for the rest of his life to look sadly from the small window of the dungeon at the stone work of art that became the tomb of his departed wife.

A masterpiece of world art

The construction of the Taj Mahal, the photo of which only slightly conveys the grandeur and scale of the work of world art, began in 1632. More than 20 thousand workers, gathered from all over the country, took part in the construction. About them future fate few people know, but, according to legend, so that the craftsmen would not tell anyone the secrets of constructing the mausoleum, they were all executed after finishing the work.

Favorite piece of land on which they built luxurious palace, did not belong to the emperor, but he exchanged it with a subject to build a monument to his love. The builders filled deep wells with a special solution and stones to protect the structure from collapse due to the proximity of groundwater, and raised the foundation by 50 meters. Marble blocks were placed at the base for special reliability.

Long-term construction

The phased construction of the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra (India) took more than 12 years. Especially for the cladding of the mausoleum, the purest marble was brought on elephants from one province of the empire, and the construction of other structures from it was strictly prohibited.

To feed the workers, who tirelessly built the luxurious monument day and night, grain was brought to them, intended to be sent to the provinces, and a terrible famine began in the country, which led to an unstable financial situation.

Visual effects

It is interesting that the Taj Mahal, the photo of which evokes a feeling of admiration even in the most indifferent person to architecture, was designed taking into account optical illusions, which were very unusual for that time.

To get to the palace, you first need to go through the arch leading to the heritage of world culture. And here an interesting visual effect arises: as you approach it, the building seems to move away. The same thing happens when exiting the arch, when it seems that the Taj Mahal somehow becomes much closer than before.

Another optical illusion that misleads visitors: it seems to them that the minarets located next to the mausoleum are built in parallel. In fact, they deviate slightly to the sides, and such a design was justified by protecting the palace in case of earthquakes. The huge towers would not have damaged the mausoleum, but fell next to it. Surprising but seismic dangerous place avoided disasters.

Tombs under the mausoleum

There are lines in the Koran that say that the peace of a deceased person cannot be disturbed. Under the main dome of the mausoleum there is a tomb, which in fact is not one. Fearing that someone would dare disturb his beloved wife, the emperor ordered her to be buried in a secret hall located under a unique masterpiece. After the death of Shah Jahan, his remains found shelter next to his wife.

Jewelry box

The Indian Taj Mahal, combining several architectural styles, is amazingly beautiful from the inside. The walls of the luxurious halls are decorated using Italian technologies. Colorful patterns of gems make the mausoleum a real treasury storing valuables. Stones were delivered from various parts of the country, and even ambassadors came to Russia to purchase malachite, which was prized in the country.

Palace divided into two parts

Built in accordance with Islamic ideas about the afterlife, the famous Taj Mahal mausoleum is divided into two parts. The four courtyards of the caravanserai and the market streets refer to earthly existence, and the mausoleum itself and Garden of Eden- to the otherworldly. By the way, all income received from trade went to maintaining the palace.

It is believed that the arch in front of the mausoleum and the beautiful pond laid in the middle of the main path represent a person’s transition to another world.

Who is the author of the masterpiece?

Researchers cannot accurately name the architects of this amazing masterpiece. It is precisely established that foreigners did not take part in the design of the mausoleum. And some experts are sure that the ruler himself acted as the main author, because he was famous for his education and sense of style.

The architecture of the mausoleum expresses the basic principles of the era: strict lines and a symmetrical layout make the earthly building look like a heavenly palace.

Majestic complex

The complex itself consists of a tomb, mirrored four watchtowers- minarets, from the tops of which they rang, announcing the beginning of prayers. On the sides of the mausoleum there are two mosques made of compressed sand. And most of the territory of the art monument is occupied by an amazing park with a pond, which reflects a perfect example of art. At the end of the green corridor, visitors are greeted by the luxurious Taj Mahal.

Color solution

The color design of the pearl also attracts attention. The buildings related to earthly life are made of fiery red sandstone, and the snow-white mausoleums symbolize the belief in life after death.

It is interesting to watch the play of light when the sun's rays at dawn or sunset paint the walls in delicate colors.

Contemporary issues

Thousands of tourists, for whom the masterpiece is a symbol of India, visit the Taj Mahal. The country is proud of its national heritage, and local authorities are very concerned about the preservation of the landmark for posterity. Unfortunately, an architectural monument with a huge history is settling and becoming covered with cracks.

Former capital of the Mughal Empire Agra (India) - populous city with a bad environmental situation. Polluted air causes marble to turn yellow, and periodically, to improve the appearance of the building, it is rubbed with white clay. In addition, the cladding also suffers from pigeons settling under the dome.

All visitors are carefully screened before entering. It is prohibited to bring lighters, cigarettes, food, mobile phones and even chewing gum into the mausoleum. Therefore, it is not recommended to take these things with you.

On Fridays, tourists are prohibited from entering the Taj Mahal, as Muslims gather for prayers at the nearby mosque in Agra.

Symbol of immortality

Included in the list of new wonders of the world, the world masterpiece continues to excite minds with the special beauty of its architectural lines and luxury of decoration, and creative people and all lovers are concerned about the sad story of its creation.

The Taj Mahal is stunning at first sight, and every visitor touches eternity captured in marble. Having become a symbol of fidelity and immortality, the ancient landmark will remain forever in the memory, and the heart will retain unforgettable impressions of what it saw.

Taj Mahal - the pearl of Muslim art in India

Taj Mahal.
One of the most outstanding attractions of India can rightfully be called the mausoleum-mosque of the Taj Mahal, located in Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna River. This exquisite work of architecture was built in 1652 (it took 22 years to build) by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth (the emperor himself was later buried here)...

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

The complex can be accessed through eastern, western and south gate(from the north - the river and security machine guns). If you are strongly against communicating with beggars, disabled people, annoying merchants, etc., I recommend the eastern gate - there are much fewer of these citizens there (which does not mean their complete absence). At the entrance you will find a standard check for crowded places in India - a metal detector, slapping your pockets, you cannot bring lighters or cigarettes, you are asked to turn off your cell phones (they don’t check), water/liquids are also taken away (if you want to drink, buy it on the premises). Interesting observation No. 1 - if you have military trousers with pockets on the knees, then the inspectors only have enough intelligence to feel a handful of small change in ordinary pockets, and the pockets on my knees, bulging from 3 cell phones and small photo junk, did not bother anyone, yes.. .

One way or another, after passing through the security posts through one of the gates, you will find yourself in a kind of “court”, in front of the Darwaza-i rauza (Great Gate)..

After passing through which you will see the Taj itself..

The mausoleum is a five-domed structure 74 meters high on a platform with 4 minarets at the corners (they are noticeably tilted away from the tomb, so that in case of destruction they fall to the side (this is noticeably better in other photos below), which is adjacent to a garden with fountains and a swimming pool. .
3.

The walls of the structure are made of polished translucent marble inlaid with gems. Turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian and other stones were used. Marble has such a peculiarity that in bright daylight it looks white, at dawn it looks pink, and on a moonlit night it looks silver...
4.
According to legend, on the other side of the river, Emperor Shah Jahan wanted to build a symmetrical twin mausoleum made of black marble, and a bridge made of gray marble would connect both mausoleums. For such interesting ideas After the liquidation of the gold and foreign exchange reserves of his homeland, the old emperor was sent by his own son to live out his days surrounded by concubines in the Red Fort. Whether this legend is true or not is not known for sure. All that confirms the legend is the presence of a park on the opposite bank, with the alleys located symmetrically relative to the Taj Mahal Park, and a small part of the wall with a small tower. For those curious, link to satellite images area - HERE (opens in a new window)..
5.
Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the emperor and his wife. Photography is prohibited inside, but all the locals naturally take pictures in front of the tombs, no one cares. Because of this, there is a crush, noise, hubbub and camera flashes inside. To be honest, I’m not impressed with the insides of the mausoleum.
6.

To the left and right of the mausoleum there are 2 identical symmetrical buildings made of red sandstone. The left is the mosque, the right is the guest house..
8.
As in many Indian buildings of the Mughal era, the “single font” effect was used during the construction of the Taj - the higher the lines of the Koran are located on the walls, the higher the letters. Thus, a person standing in front of the building reads all the lines as if they were written in the same font and lie before his eyes without upward projection.
9.

The guest house is actively used by the military guarding the complex. I remember more the old school Prince of Persia here =).
10.

In the jungle behind the guest house, you can barely make out the ruins of another palace through the smog. Wikimapia, unfortunately, is silent about what is there (opens in a new window)...

Taj Mahal and Interesting Facts it attracts the attention of many tourists. In 2014, about 6.5 million people visited there. More than 53 events, circumstances and stories about the construction and architecture, about the past and present day of the monument are collected and briefly presented for you in this article.

Tamerlane and his descendant in love Jahan

The Taj Mahal was built from white marble

On the territory of modern Uzbekistan in the 14th century lived the commander Tamerlane or Timur, the founder of the Timurid Empire (modern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq). His descendant, the ruler of the Mughal Empire (Timurid state on the territory of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, southeastern Afghanistan) in 1627-1658 - the padishah Shah Jahan I, immortalized his name with the construction of the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum-mosque located in Agra (India).
In order to convey the beauty of his beloved wife, who died during her 14th birth, with the help of architecture, the padishah exchanged the palace in the center of the capital for land (a little more than a hectare) 7 km from the city on the banks of the sacred Yamuna River (Jamuna).
Soon after the construction of the mausoleum, the son of the padishah began to rule the state, and his father continued to live comfortably in the Delhi Fort. After his death, he was buried next to his wife. This fact is presented as the overthrow of the father and his imprisonment. The opinion of Indian historians can be found in the publication "Taj Mahal, Tamerlane and love at first sight" on the channel Zen Architecture.

6 interesting facts about how the Taj Mahal was built

22,000 craftsmen from Central Asia, Persia, and the Middle East were involved in the work. 37 specialists were responsible for the artistic appearance of the complex:
- sculptors from Bukhara
- calligraphers from Syria and Persia;
- inlay masters from South India;
- stonemasons from Balochistan.
To transport building materials, a special 15-kilometer ramp was created, along which 30 bulls dragged blocks of marble in carts specially designed for this purpose.
More than 1000 elephants brought materials from different parts of Great Mogolia.
Water for construction was delivered from the river using a rope-bucket system.
Construction of the tomb took about 12 years. A little less was required for the remaining parts of the complex: minarets, mosque, Great Gate, garden. But the complex took twice as long to build as new capital Mogolia (in the territory of present-day Delhi).
The construction site was raised 5o meters above the river level with soil replacement.

26 facts about the architecture of the mausoleum

The central hall of the mausoleum with cenotaphs of the padishah and his wife

The Taj Mahal (or Taj) is recognized as the best example Mughal architectural style - "the pearl of Muslim architecture in India." It (the style) arose from the synthesis Indian, Persian and Arabic architectural styles.
Inside there are 2 tombs: the Shah and his wife Arjuman Banu Begum, which are located in the ground under the cenotaphs.
Inspired by a poem by Bibadal Khan, the court jeweler and poet, Shah Jahan conceived the complex as a replica of the house of dear Mumtaz (the title of the padishah's wife) in paradise. This is the purpose of most funeral ceremonies. architectural structures Mughals
The architecture of the Taj has a mystical effect: the interaction of decor, geometry, materials, acoustics affects the mind, feelings and spirit of a person. The mausoleum is unique due to its combination of simplicity and splendor. Jahan's unlimited generosity coupled with the exquisite work of the best craftsmen creates a mesmerizing impression. About this in Illusions and secrets of the Taj Mahal on the Zen Architecture channel.
The interior hall of the Taj Mahal is shaped like a perfect octagon and surrounded by eight rooms with passages. This technique creates an aura of solemn serenity.
Its symbolism is multifaceted: from combinations of materials and colors that indicate belonging to the upper classes of society, to plant metaphors that court chroniclers used to praise the personal virtues of the padishah and his family. For example, in The padishah's cenotaph is an inkwell, and his wife's is a writing surface. These details symbolize that a man writes his desires on a woman's heart.
The interior of the mausoleum has a reverberation time (the time taken to dampen the echo) of 28 seconds. This was done specifically so that the words of prayer for the soul of beloved Mumtaz,lingered in the air.
The complex has axial symmetry relative to the Mumtaz Mahal tomb. Only the tomb of Shah Jahan himself breaks it.
On all sides of the Taj Mahal there are reservoirs in which, from a certain angle, the building is completely reflected.
During the construction, they used white marble from Rajasthan, which has a dazzling white color in the daytime sun, milky white or pink at sunrise, and silver in the moonlight. In terms of its quality, this marble is considered the best in the world. Shah Jahan prohibited its use for the construction of any other objects.

Taj Mahal in the morning light

4 minaret towers are slightly tilted to the side in case of an earthquake. The Holy verses of the Koran are imprinted on them in Arabic script.
The architect of the most impressive main dome is Ismail Afandi from Turkey. Its height is 44.4 meters outside and 24.35 meters inside.
The domes are topped with gilded figures in the Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of pure gold, but was replaced with bronze in the 19th century.
All decorative design elements of the existing minarets are decorated with gilding.
Before the looting of the mausoleum at the cenotaph Mumtaz one of the flowers was encrusted with 35 different precious stones, including malachite brought from the Urals.
Masterfully crafted marble lattices surround the cenotaphs above the graves.
What we don't see now, so are the bowls full of jewels on Mumtaz Mahal's tomb, the Persian carpets on the floor, the silver doorways and hanging chandeliers that once made up the interior decor.
The ceiling is decorated with floral patterns andgeometric patterns - floor.
The most impressive type of decor can be called stone inlay. The flowers are designed to the smallest detail and every point and alphabet of the Holy Quran is carefully engraved, carved and inlaid to perfection.
The dome of the hall inside is decorated in the shape of the sun.
The complex is surrounded on three sides by jagged walls made of red sandstone. The side along the river remained open.
The complex contains additional mausoleums for Jahan's other wives and one for his beloved servant Mumtaz.
The main gate repeats the vaulted passages of the tomb, the arches are decorated with the same decor. They were originally made of silver and called the “Gateway to Heaven.”
No craftsmen or designers will be able to reproduce this masterpiece today.

Paradise

The garden around the tomb symbolizes Eden.
The sacred Yamuna was included in the garden design as one of the rivers of Paradise.
The raised marble pool in the center, Al Kawthar, represents the source of paradise spoken of in the Qur'an. Wide and shallow canals extend from it to the four cardinal directions, dividing the garden into four equal parts.
In its original form, the garden amazed with the variety of vegetation and was planned following the example of Persian gardens. It contained exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils, lilies, irises, fruit trees and flowering shrubs. But over time, when the empire weakened, the garden fell into disrepair.
Today's landscape design is English style.

Taj Mahal: interesting facts of the present time

The Taj Mahal is included in the list of “7 New Wonders of the World”, which was compiled in 2007 by voting by more than 100 million people.
Is an object world heritage UNESCO since 1983.
You can enter the tomb only by removing your shoes or wearing disposable shoe covers.
Previously, you could climb to the top of the minarets to admire the view. But after cases of lovers committing suicide, the entrance to the top was closed.

Taj Mahal interior

Myths and legends

Love at first sight

The prince was walking through the bazaar of Agra (his capital) when he saw a 19-year-old girl. Love for the beauty conquered the young man’s heart at first sight. Mumtaz Mahal was as wise as she was beautiful.

Portraits of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan

Being his main wife, she accompanied her husband on all military campaigns, supported him and gave advice. Over 17 years of happy life, they had 14 children. The last birth took place in the field and the 38-year-old woman died. 6 months later, returning to Agra, the padishah decided to build a mausoleum in order to fulfill the last wish of his beloved.

The court chronicles say that Arjuman Banu Begum was the niece of the beloved wife of Prince Khurram's father (the future emperor). At the age of 14, she and the prince were betrothed. On the recommendation of court astrologers, the wedding took place 5 years later. So, indeed, the girl was 19 years old at that moment.

Arjuman became his third wife. After the wedding, her husband began to call her Mumtaz Mahal, which means “Chosen One of the Palace,” because in appearance and character she became the best for him. Subsequently, Shah Jahan took two more wives, but Mumtaz remained his beloved. The history of relations between them was recorded by court chroniclers, which was personally monitored by the padishah.

The Mystery of the Black Taj Mahal

There is a legend that Shah Jahan wanted to build another palace on the opposite bank of the river, but this time from black marble. These rumors began to spread after the notes of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. He controlled the European diamond trade with India and traveled there five times. After traveling to Agra in 1665 (8 years after construction was completed), he recorded his impressions of the mausoleum, including the one on the opposite bank of the river. However, his son, who overthrew him, banned construction.

Pieces of black marble lying on the opposite bank were fully consistent with this hypothesis. But in the 90s of the twentieth century, archaeological excavations discovered that in fact pieces of “black” marble were blackened white marble. When the reconstruction of the Moon Garden (Agra Park on the opposite bank of the Yamuna) was completed in 2006, it was discovered that the most beautiful view the Taj opens from here. And the second mausoleum is a complete reflection of the palace in the water.

The generosity of the padishah

Instead of light scaffolding, permanent brick scaffolding was built for work around the building. It took many months to completely remove them. They say that in order to speed up the process, the padishah announced that anyone could take home bricks in unlimited quantities. And since brick was a valuable building material at that time, it took only one day to dismantle the scaffolding.

Rescue of the Taj Mahal

At the end of the 19th century, during the civil uprising in India, the complex was sacked. English colonists cut down precious materials from the walls of the building and stole gold and silver parts of the buildings. Lord George Nathaniel Curzon, as Viceroy of India, planned a major renovation to restore the mosque's splendor. In 1908 the work was completed. The garden was remodeled to suit the British landscape style. Copper gates were installed in place of the stolen silver gates. Gold was replaced with bronze.
During the wars of 1942, 1965, 1971, the government camouflaged the Taj Mahal with scaffolding. Thanks to this, the building was preserved.
Recently, cracks were discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. Experts attribute this to the shallowing of the Yamuna River. This leads to a change in the soil structure. There is an opinion that the mausoleum is sagging and may collapse over time.
Marble began to lose its legendary whiteness. This is explained by air pollution. Therefore, in the city of Agora, where the complex is located, many industries were closed, but not all, and the monument itself can only be reached by electric transport or on foot.
Marble must be cleaned regularly with special clay to maintain its whiteness.
Due to the pollution of the Yamuna, the population of insects has greatly increased, leaving their green-black excrement on the white marble. To do this, it is necessary to stop discharging 52 pipes into the river in order to naturally resolve the issue.
The South China Morning Post reported that Indian authorities are planning to restrict access to the monument in order to preserve it.

Some more interesting facts about the Taj Mahal in the video

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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 to 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 its 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 the gold with which the spiers of the tomb were decorated. 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 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 studies, the building gave insignificant settlement and over 70 years of observation, its condition remained satisfactory.

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

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

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

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

The construction site on the banks of the Jamna River was chosen with the precise expectation of long-term existence. For so many years, not a single earthquake has damaged the palace. The architecture of the Taj Mahal shows a mixture of Islamic, Indian and Persian architecture, which gives it a special royal feel. An irrigation canal leads to the tomb, which reflects the contours of the structure. The height of the main dome is 73 meters. Despite this, the mausoleum seems surprisingly elegant and light.

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

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

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