The Taj Mahal Mausoleum is the architectural gem of India. A snow-white building against the sky – the color of azure. A mausoleum was built south of the city of Agra. This building is known and recognizable all over the world. It was built by the emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. Mausoleum – the most beautiful building in the world, a symbol of eternal love.
Taj Mahal
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Driven by irrepressible grief, the Mughal emperor in 1632 began the construction of this architectural miracle. His love for the third wife, who died from the birth of their 14th child, was so great that the construction of her indescribably beautiful tomb lasted a total of 20 years, and the garden and surrounding buildings were completed after another 5 years.
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The main building of the Taj Mahal complex – the tomb – is a huge structure of white marble on a high pedestal. This beautiful, perfectly symmetrical building is headed by a large dome 35 meters high. The dome is its most amazing part, it has the shape of a bulb. Islamic dome crescent crowns the horns up.
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The height of the tomb is 74 m, 4 minarets are located in the corners, which are slightly deflected to the sides, so that in case of a fall during an earthquake not to damage the main building. The height of each minaret is 40 m, they also amaze with their perfect symmetry. Elements of decoration are of Persian origin, decorative figures are gilded.
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The inner hall has the shape of a regular octagon, so you can get there from either side of the building, but only one door is open that opens to the garden. The interior is far from traditional, a lot of jewelry made of precious stones. High arches divide the interior into 8 equal parts. Bas-reliefs and inlays adorn the building.
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Inside the openwork marble fence there are two tombs – the emperor Shah Jahan “the ruler of the world” and his beloved wife “the chosen one of the palace” Mumtaz-Mahal. This room is a simple crypt, since, according to Muslim traditions, the artistic decoration of graves is prohibited. The faces of the Shah and his wife are turned to Mecca. Pedestals and tombs are decorated with inlays in the form of flowers with precious stones..
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The tombstone is covered with calligraphic letters glorifying Mumtaz. There is a rhombus on the lid of her coffin, presumably in order to write on it. The cenotaph of the Shah is nearby, its size is larger, but the jewelry is the same as on the coffin and pedestal of his wife. This is the only asymmetric part of the entire structure, since it was made much later.
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Around the Taj Mahal complex there is a magnificent garden up to 300 m long. The mausoleum itself stands at the end of the garden. The elevated paths divide the garden into four parts and each into 16 flower beds. In the center of the park, between the gates and the tomb, there is a marble canal lined with water. Exactly in the middle of the canal is a pond reflecting the tomb.
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Jagged red walls made of sandstone surround the entire complex, only part of it along the river is open. Inside the walls around the main building there are several smaller mausoleums, the rest of the emperor’s wives and his beloved servant are buried there. Not far from them is the Musical House, now it is a museum. The monumental main marble gate is decorated with the same decorative elements as both tombs..
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Two beautiful buildings made of red sandstone, located at the far end of the complex, are absolutely identical. The building on the left is a mosque, and on the right is a guesthouse, it was built for symmetry.
The Taj Mahal was included in the list of “Seven New Wonders of the World” in 2007 by universal suffrage. The complex is closed on Fridays, prayers are read in the mosque, and on other weekdays it is open to the public. The mausoleum is the main attraction of India, the most beautiful building on earth. Up to 4 million tourists from different countries visit it annually.
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