History of the Taj Mahal mausoleum in India. What is the Taj Mahal and in which city is it located? The best views of the Taj Mahal

The girl whom the Indian prince Jahan once saw in the market was so beautiful that he immediately brought her to the palace, making her his beloved wife: Mumtaz Mahal managed to captivate her husband so much, he did not look at other women until her death. At the same time, she did not sit at home, she always accompanied him on military campaigns and was the only person in the world whom he trusted and with whom he often consulted.

This suggests that the story that Mumtaz was of plebeian origin is a myth far from reality. In fact, she had a noble origin, was the daughter of a vizier and was a distant relative of Jahan's mother, and therefore received an extremely good education (otherwise the young woman would hardly have been able to give constructive advice).

Together they lived for about seventeen years, during which time Mumtaz gave birth to her husband fourteen children, and with the birth of the last child she died. First, she was buried in the city in which she died, in Burkhan Nur, and six months later, her remains were transported to one of the most prosperous cities in India, Agra. It was here that the inconsolable widower decided to build a tomb for his wife, which in beauty was supposed to be worthy of Mumtaz and by its very appearance would tell the descendants a story of incredible love.

In which city to build the Taj Mahal mausoleum (“Taj” means “crown”, “mahal” - “palace”), it was decided almost immediately: the suburb of Agra, one of the most beautiful and developed cities in India, located on the banks of the river, was the best choice for this. way. In order to be able to build a mosque in the selected area, Shah Jahan had to exchange this site for a palace located in the center of Agra.

He did not have to regret this: this area near the city was not only extremely beautiful and picturesque, but also proved to be seismically stable - in the years that have passed since the completion of construction work, earthquakes have not been able to cause serious damage to the structure.

The main building was designed by the Turkish architect Ismail Afandi from the Ottoman Empire, and his compatriot Usatada Isa is considered the creator of the architectural image of the monument - it was their projects that Jahan liked the most. The choice of the ruler was successful: the erected Taj Mahal (Agra) turned out to be one of the most outstanding monuments in the world, successfully combining the styles of Indian, Persian and Islamic trends, and was recently recognized as one of the wonders of the world.

Tomb construction

The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and construction lasted twenty-one years (while the tomb was completed ten years earlier). To build this unique complex, more than 20 thousand workers from all over India were involved in construction work, as well as architects, artists, sculptors from neighboring countries.

An area of 1.2 hectares near the city (Agra) was dug up, after which, in order to reduce the flowability of the soil, soil was replaced on it. The level of the site planned for the construction of the mosque was raised 50 meters above the coast. After that, the workers dug wells, filled them with rubble stone, thus obtaining a foundation, which, moreover, was supposed to play the role of a kind of pillow during earthquakes and would not allow the complex to collapse.

Interesting fact: instead of bamboo scaffolding, the architects decided to use brick scaffolding: this made it easier to work with heavy marble. The stone forests looked so imposing that the architects were afraid that it would take several years to dismantle them. Jahan found a way out by announcing that any resident of Agra can pick up the required amount of bricks - and the scaffolding was dismantled in a few days.

To deliver building materials to the mosque, the Indians built a gentle sloping earthen platform, along which the bulls dragged the load, which was on specially designed carts. They were delivered to the city from all over India (and not only). The most important building material, white marble, was brought to the city from Makrana and Rajasthan, located at a distance of 300 km from Agra.

They raised the marble blocks to the required height using special devices. The water necessary for construction work was first extracted from the river, after which it was poured into a reservoir, from where it rose into a special reservoir and was directed through pipes to the construction site.

Architectural complex

All buildings of the architectural complex Taj Mahal, Agra have been extremely carefully planned from a geometric point of view. The central building of the complex is the mausoleum, which tells the story of the love of the ruling couple of India. This wonder of the world is surrounded on three sides by battlements built of red sandstone, thus leaving only the view from the side of the river open to view.

The Taj Mahal tomb, Agra is surrounded by several more tombs in which the other wives of the ruler were buried (they were also built from red sandstone, which was often used in the construction of crypts of that time). Not far from the main mausoleum is the Music House (now there is a museum).

The main gate, like the main building, is made of marble, the entrance is adorned with an openwork white portico, on top - the eleventh domes, on the sides there are two towers with white domes. On both sides of the central burial vault, two large structures were built of red sandstone: the building on the left was used by the residents of Agra as a mosque, and the right one served as a boarding house. They were built for balance - so that nothing was destroyed during the earthquake.

In front of the mausoleum there is a magnificent park, which is 300 meters long. In the middle of the park, there is an irrigation canal lined with marble, in the center of which a pool was built, in which the mausoleum is fully reflected (paths lead from it to four minarets).

According to the descriptions of eyewitnesses, in former times Agra and its park amazed with an abundance of vegetation: roses, daffodils, a huge number of garden trees grew here. After India was under the British Empire, its appearance changed significantly - and it began to resemble an ordinary English lawn.

What does the tomb look like?

The main building of this architectural complex, which is located in the city of Agra, is the Taj Mahal mausoleum, built of white marble. It is best viewed from the river, since the wall has not been installed on this side.

It looks especially gorgeous at dawn: the tomb is reflected in the water, creating the illusion of unreality and, if you look at it from the opposite bank, you get the impression that this miracle is floating in the predawn fog, and the rays that appear create an amazing play of color on the walls.

First of all, unusual proportions give the mausoleum such airiness and feeling of "floating", when the height of the building has the same dimensions as its width, as well as a huge dome, which seems to take away the smaller elements of the structure - four small domes and minarets.

Mausoleum Taj Mahal, Agra tells the world about the beautiful love story between Jahan and Mumtaz Maha, and has incredible beauty. The height and width of the mausoleum is 74 meters. The facade of the tomb is square, with semicircular niches built into it, giving the massive building a weightless look. The mausoleum is crowned with a marble dome 35 meters high, shaped like an onion.

The top of the dome is decorated with a month, the horns of which are directed upwards (until the 19th century it was gold, and then it was replaced with an exact copy made of bronze).

At the corners of the tomb, emphasizing the shape of the main dome, there are four smaller vaults, completely repeating its shape. At the corners of the mausoleum, at a slight slope in the direction opposite to the tomb, there are four gilded towers (minarets) about 50 m high (the slope was provided at an early stage of construction work so that they could not harm the main structure if they fell).

The walls of the Taj Mahal (Agra) are painted with a delicate pattern and built of white marble with gems inserted into it (there are 28 types of precious stones in total). Especially many decorative elements can be seen on pedestals, gates, mosques, as well as at the bottom of the mausoleum.

Thanks to the unique marble, the mausoleum looks different during the day: during the day the tomb is white, at dawn it is pink, and on a moonlit night it turns silver. Previously, the entrance doors were made of pure silver, but later, like many other valuable decorative elements, they were stolen (by whom - history is silent).

Inside view

Inside the Taj Mahal (the city of Agra) looks no less remarkable than the outside. The entrance to the mausoleum is decorated with a gallery with graceful columns. The hall inside the tomb is an octagon, which can be accessed from either side of the tomb (now this can only be done from the side of the park). Inside the hall, behind a marble screen, there are two sarcophagi made of white marble, which in reality are false tombs, since the graves themselves are under the floor.

On the lid of the sarcophagus of the ruler's wife, inscriptions praising her are engraved. The only asymmetric element in the entire complex is Jahan's sarcophagus, which was installed after his death: the ruler's coffin is slightly larger than the coffin of his wife. The height of the walls inside the building is 25 m, and the ceiling decorated with the sun is made in the form of an inner dome.

The entire space inside the hall is divided by eight arches, over which you can read quotes from the Quran. The four middle arches form balconies with windows through which light enters the hall (except for these windows, the sun's rays enter the room through special holes in the roof). The second floor of the mausoleum can be accessed by one of two side staircases. The walls inside the tomb are everywhere decorated with mosaics of gems, which form various symbols, plants, flowers, letters.

Jahan's death

After the completion of the construction of the Taj Mahal, Agra, the son of the ruler, Aurangzeb, overthrew his father from the throne and put him in a dungeon, in which the former ruler spent several years (according to one of the legends, its windows overlooked the tomb of his beloved wife built by him).

After Jahan's death, the son fulfilled his father's will and buried him next to his wife. This is how the love story ended, capturing the memory of oneself for centuries in a unique structure that still stands today.

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 building is located in India and has no analogues in the world. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year, who are 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 a love story that became the reason for the construction of the sights and you need to start acquaintance 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 befell great sorrow, in the delivery of the fourteenth baby, his beloved wife died. For a whole year, the emperor could not come to terms with the loss, and then decided to erect the most majestic and beautiful tomb in the world in memory of his deceased wife.

This is how the construction of the temple began, which lasted as much as 21 years. This story of an architectural gem shows that the heart of the great ruler of an entire nation 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 was 19 years old, and all the years that the couple were together, the emperor doted on his wife. Architectural monument is included in the 7 wonders of the world of our time.

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 buildings went to the customer, and therefore only the name of Shah Jahan is mentioned in the annals in connection with the construction of the shrine. According to historians, the main idea of the building belonged to the famous architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri at that time. 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 honored to participate in the construction work, because, according to the emperor's idea, the tomb of his beloved wife was to become perfection.

Features of the architecture

The most remarkable feature of the architecture of this building is the optical illusion, which surprises not only tourists, but also eminent architects. The illusion lies in the fact that a person is used to it, when he approaches an object, the object increases, the code moves away, the object decreases. The opposite is true here. As you approach the temple, it visually becomes smaller, and the closer you are, the smaller the temple. And when you step backwards, the structure becomes more and more, and as a result, it practically hangs over the person.

The building is divided into two parts, one symbolizes worldly life, the other life afterlife, unknown and inexplicable. A path with a pond connects these two worlds, which originates from the arch of the mausoleum. This is the road of passage between the two worlds.

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

Looting 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 carried most of the precious stones from the walls of the Taj Mahal. Many argue that the looting was much larger. According to legends, doors made of carved jasper, as well as diamonds and Persian carpets, disappeared.

Today it is impossible to say for sure what was really kidnapped, 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 could disguise the wonder of the world and it remained intact.

Sinking palace

For the construction of the shrine, the builders built a special platform, which rose 50 meters above the level of the river. 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 with cracks and, according to many experts, it may simply collapse soon.

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 argue that there is no serious danger to the preservation of the shrine. According to the results of their research, the building gave insignificant draft and over 70 years of observation, its condition remained satisfactory.

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Mausoleum Taj Mahal

Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his wife. In fact, the place of their burial is located below - strictly under the tombs, underground. The construction time dates back to about 1630-1652. The Taj Mahal is a five-domed structure with a height of 74 m on a platform, with 4 minarets at the corners (they are slightly inclined to the side of the tomb in order not to damage it in case of destruction), which is adjoined by a garden with fountains and a pool.

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

Architecture

The mausoleum has numerous symbols hidden in its architecture and layout. For example, on the gates through which visitors to the Taj Mahal enter the park complex surrounding the mausoleum, four concluding verses from the 89th surah of the Koran Zarya (Al-Fajr) are carved, addressed to the soul of the righteous:

“O you, resting soul! Return to your Lord contented and contented! Enter with My slaves. Enter My Paradise! "

On the left side of the tomb is a red sandstone mosque. On the right is an exact copy of the mosque. The whole complex has axial symmetry. The tomb has a central symmetry with respect to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Only the tomb of Shah Jahan, which was built there after his death, breaks this symmetry.

Present time

Cracks were recently discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. According to scientists, the appearance of cracks may be associated with the shallowing of the nearby Jamna River. The disappearance of the river will lead to a change in the structure of the soil and the subsidence of the mausoleum, and maybe even to its destruction. It also began to lose its legendary whiteness due to polluted air. Despite the expanding parkland around the Taj Mahal and the closure of a number of particularly filthy industries in Agra, the mausoleum is still turning yellow. It has to be cleaned regularly with a special white clay.

Tourism

Every day, the Taj Mahal is visited by tens of thousands of people; at the expense of tourists, the "Indian pearl" brings a lot of money to the country's treasury. The Taj Mahal is visited by 3 to 5 million visitors a year, of which more than 200,000 are from abroad. Most tourists visit during the cooler months of the year - October, November and February. The movement of vehicles with internal combustion engines near the complex is prohibited, so tourists come from the parking lot on foot, or they can drive up by an electric bus. The Hawasspuras (northern courtyard) has now been rebuilt to be used as a new visitor center. V small town to the south, known as Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad, caravanserais, bazaars and markets were built to meet the needs of visitors and workers. The Taj Mahal is also featured on several lists as one of the Seven Wonders in modern world, including the 2007 list of the New Seven Wonders of the World (after a poll of more than 100 million votes).

For security reasons, you can only bring water in transparent bottles, small video cameras, cameras, mobile phones and small handbags inside the Taj Mahal.

The name Taj Mahal can be translated as "The Greatest Palace" (where taj is a crown and mahal is a 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 Court" (where mumtaz is the best, mahal is a palace, a courtyard). Similar meanings of words have been preserved in Arabic, Hindi and some other languages.

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

The tomb of Humayun in Delhi is very similar to the Taj Mahal both in Mughal origin and in appearance. This tomb of the Mughal emperor was also built as a sign of great love - not a husband to his wife, but a wife to her husband. Despite the fact that Humayun's tomb was built earlier, and Jahan, while building his masterpiece, was guided by the architectural experience of Humayun's tomb, it is little known compared to the Taj Mahal.

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

Movie appearance

Abyssal Impact - The Taj Mahal is shown with a meteorite exploding in the sky.
"Life after people" - Taj Mahal is shown after 1000 years without people - earthquakes will overturn all minarets, and then the mausoleum itself will collapse.
"Mars attacks! "- aliens pose against the backdrop of an exploding mausoleum.
"The Last Dance" - the main heroine of the film, condemned to death penalty, dreams of visiting the Taj Mahal. In love with her, but unable to save her from the sentence, the lawyer visits Mazvole after her execution.
"Escape" - the protagonist helps the director of the prison build a layout of the Taj Mahal
"Fire" is a film, the first part of Deepa Mehta's trilogy.
"Slumdog Millionaire" - the main character of the film recalls how he and his brother earned money from tourists on illegal excursions.

Gallery

Notes (edit)

Links

Photos and full history of the Taj Mahal on Toptravel.ru
History of the family and dynasty of the Great Mughals against the background of their creations (Taj Mahal, tombs of Humayun, Babur, etc.), Mughal influence on the art of India
New 7 wonders of the world. Taj Mahal is a symbol of India. (History. Mumtaz. Description of the temple.)

UNESCO World Heritage in India

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World heritage in India
Uttar Pradesh
Temples and mausoleums of Islam
Mausoleums
Appeared in 1654
Monuments of India
Mughal architecture
Islamic architecture
Architecture of india
Uttar Pradesh Tourism

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A well-known monument of Indian architecture of the Mughal period, built on the banks of the river. Jamna, near Agra. Built around 1630 52 (architects, probably Ustad Isa and others) as the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's wife, which later was ... ... Art encyclopedia

The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The structure was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and also a symbol of eternal love. In this article I will tell you about the history of this miracle, as well as the most interesting facts and events related to it

Taj Mahal is the most outstanding example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles... In 1983, the Taj Mahal was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is, in fact, an integrated complex of structures, the central and iconic component of which is a white domed marble mausoleum. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1653, and day and night thousands of artisans and craftsmen labored to create this miracle. A council of architects worked on the construction, but the main one was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri

Let's start from the very beginning, namely, with what prompted the emperor to build such a miracle. In 1631, grief befell the emperor Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal empire in the prime of its power. His third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died while giving birth to their 14th child. A year later, construction began, on which Shah Jahan decided, driven by his irrepressible grief and strong love for his deceased wife.

The main mausoleum was completed in 1648, while the surrounding buildings and garden were completed 5 years later. Let's move on to the description of each of the structural elements of the complex in detail.

Mausoleum Taj Mahal

The tomb is the architectural center of the Taj Mahal complex. This huge, white marble structure sits on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an arched opening topped by a large dome. Like most Mughal tombs, the main elements here are of Persian origin.

Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his beloved wife. The height of the structure is 74 meters, including the platform, and there are 4 minarets in the corners, slightly inclined to the side. This was done so that in the event of a fall, they would not damage the central building.

The marble dome that adorns the tomb is the most spectacular part of the Taj Mahal. Its height is 35 meters. Due to its special shape, it is often called an onion dome. The shape of the dome is emphasized by four smaller domed figures placed at the corners of the tomb, which follow the onion shape of the main dome.

The domes are completed with gilded figures in the traditional Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of gold, but in the 19th century it was replaced by an exact copy of bronze. The crown is captioned with a month in a typical Islamic style, with its horns pointing upwards

The minarets, each 40 meters high, also exhibit perfect symmetry. They were designed to function as a traditional element of mosques, calling the Islamic believer to prayer. Each minaret is divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that encircle the tower. All decorative elements of the design of the minarets are also decorated with gilding

Exterior
The exterior design of the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly one of the best examples of world architecture. Since the surface of the structure is different in different areas, the decoration is proportionally selected. The decorative elements were created using a variety of paints, plaster, stone inlays and carvings. In accordance with the Islamic ban on the use of anthropomorphic forms, decorative elements are grouped into symbols, abstract forms and plant motifs

Quran excerpts are also used throughout the complex as decorative elements. On the gate at the entrance to the Taj Mahal park complex, four verses from the 89th sura of the Koran "Dawn" are inscribed, addressed to the human soul:
“O you, resting soul! Return to your Lord contented and contented! Enter with My slaves. Enter My Paradise! "

Abstract forms are used throughout, especially in the plinth, minarets, gates, mosques, and even on the surfaces of the grave. On the lower levels of the tomb, realistic marble figures of flowers and vines are painted. All of these images are polished and inlaid with stones such as yellow marble, jasper and jade

Interior

The interior of the Taj Mahal departs far from traditional decorative elements. A large number of precious and semi-precious stones were used inside, and the inner hall is an ideal octagon, which can be accessed from either side of the structure. However, only the south door from the garden side is used.
The inner walls are 25 meters high with an inner domed ceiling decorated with the sun. Eight large arches divide the interior space into proportional parts. Four central arches form balconies and observation decks with a viewing window carved in marble. In addition to these windows, light also enters through special holes in the corners of the roof. As well as outside, everything inside is decorated with bas-reliefs and inlays.

Muslim tradition prohibits grave decoration. Consequently, the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were placed in a simple crypt, with their faces turned towards Mecca. Both the base and the coffin itself are carefully inlaid with precious stones. Calligraphic inscriptions on the headstone praise Mumtaz. The rectangular rhombus on the lid of her tomb was supposedly created so that it could be written on. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz, and is the only asymmetric element in the entire complex, since it was completed later. It is larger than the wife's coffin, but adorned with the same elements

On the grave of Shah Jahan, there is a calligraphic inscription that reads: "He set off on a journey from this world to the abode of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth day, the month of Rajab, 1076."

Taj Mahal Gardens
We turn to the description of the magnificent garden adjacent to architectural complex... The Mughal garden is 300 meters long. The architects have come up with elevated paths that divide each of the 4 parts of the garden into 16 recessed flower beds. The water channel in the center of the park is lined with marble, with a reflecting pond located in the middle, between the tomb and the gate. It reflects the image of the tomb. The emperor was inspired to create a garden, seeing the same luxuries in the Persian sheikhs. The Taj Mahal Garden is unusual in that the main element, the mausoleum, is located at the end of the garden. Early sources describe a garden with an abundance of vegetation, including exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils, hundreds of fruit trees. But over time, the Mughal empire weakened, and there was no one to guard the gardens. During the reign of the British Empire, the landscaping of the garden was modified, and it began to resemble an ordinary lawn in the center of London.

Adjacent buildings
The Taj Mahal is bounded on three sides by jagged red sandstone walls, while the side that runs along the river remains open. Outside the walls of the central building, there are several additional mausoleums where the rest of Jahan's wives are buried, as well as a large grave of Mumtaz's beloved servant. These structures are built of red sandstone, typical of the tombs of the Mughal era. Nearby is the House of Music, which is now used as a museum. The main gate is a monumental marble structure. Its vaulted passageways follow the shape of the vaulted passageways of the tomb, and the arches are decorated with the same elements as the tomb. All elements are carefully planned from a geometric point of view

At the far end of the complex are two large buildings from the same red sandstone, located on both sides of the tomb. They are absolutely identical, the building on the left was used as a mosque, and the identical building on the right was built for symmetry, but was possibly used as a boarding house. The construction of these buildings was completed in 1643

History of the construction of the Taj Mahal
Here I will tell you about interesting facts from the history of the construction of the complex. The Taj Mahal was built on a piece of land south of the city of Agra. Shah Jahan presented Maharaja Jai Singh with a large palace in the center of Agra in exchange for this land. Large-scale earthworks were carried out on the territory of the complex. A huge pit was dug and filled with mud to reduce the flowability of the soil. The site itself was raised 50 meters above the river level. When constructing the foundation of the tomb, deep wells were dug, which were filled with rubble for drainage and support of the foundation. Instead of scaffolding of bamboo, the workers built huge brick pillars surrounding the tomb - this greatly facilitated further work. Later, it took years to dismantle these forests - they were so huge. In order to speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed the peasants to use these bricks for their own needs.

A fifteen-kilometer trench was dug in the ground to transport marble and other materials to the construction site. Bundles of 20-30 oxen pulled large blocks on specially designed carts. A system of special reservoirs was built, supplying water from the river to the canal and to the complex itself. The pedestal and tomb of the Taj Mahal was completed in 12 years, while the rest of the complex took another 10 years to complete. The total cost of construction was approximately Rs 32 million at the time.

For the construction of the complex, materials from all over Asia were used. More than a thousand elephants were used for transportation. In total, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid in white marble. The construction involved 20 thousand workers from northern India. Most likely, they performed the hardest work in slave conditions, since even in our time people in India work like slaves - for example, the article "Child Labor in India". Sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, stone carvers from Baluchistan, Turkey, Iran were also involved.

Soon after the completion of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his own son Aurangzeb and arrested at Fort Delhi. After the death, he was buried in the mausoleum next to his beloved wife. By the end of the 19th century, parts of the structure fell into disrepair. The Taj Mahal was plundered by British soldiers and officials who chiseled precious materials from the walls of the building. At the same time, Lord Curzon conceived a large-scale reconstruction, which was completed in 1908. At the same time, the famous garden was also modified, giving the lawns a British style.

In 1942, the government established scaffolding in an attempt to disguise the Taj Mahal in front of an attack by Luftwaffe and Japanese air force pilots. The same action was taken during the India-Pakistan Wars of 1965 and 1971. This had an effect, and the structure remained unharmed.

Currently, the complex is threatened by environmental pollution. Due to the pollution of the Jamna River, there was a threat of its shallowing and soil erosion. Cracks began to appear in the walls of the tomb, and the mausoleum began to settle. Due to air pollution, the building began to lose its whiteness, a yellow coating has appeared, which has to be cleaned annually. The Indian government is taking urgent action by closing harmful industries in Agra and expanding the protected area, but this has not been effective yet.

The Taj Mahal is a major tourist attraction in India, attracting 2 to 4 million tourists annually, of which more than 200,000 are from overseas. There is a special entry price for Indian citizens, many times lower than for foreigners. The complex brings a lot of money to the state treasury, replenishing the budget. Most tourists visit the complex starting in October, during the cooler season. Due to measures to protect nature, it is prohibited to enter by buses here, from special remote parking lots an electric tram is in charge of bringing tourists

The mausoleum-mosque Taj Mahal is a recognized masterpiece world heritage and one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, located in the city of Agra near the Jamna River in India. The mosque was erected in the 17th century by order of Shah Jahan, the padishah of the Mughal Empire, who dedicated the construction of the Taj Mahal to his wife Mumtaz Mahal (later the Indian Shah himself was buried here).

History of the creation of the Taj Mahal mausoleum in India

The creation of the Taj Mahal is associated with the legend of the love of the padishah Shah Jahan and the girl Mumtaz Mahal, who traded in the local market. The Indian ruler was so fascinated by her beauty that they soon got married. In a happy marriage, 14 children were born, but during the birth of the last child, Mumtaz Mahal died. Shah Jahan was crushed by the death of his beloved wife and ordered to build a mausoleum in memory of her, which is nowhere more beautiful.

The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and was completed in 1653. About 20 thousand craftsmen and workers from all over the empire were involved in the construction. A group of architects worked on the mosque, but the main idea belongs to Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, there is also a version that the main author of the project is the Persian architect Ustad Isa (Isa Muhammad Effendi).

The construction of the tomb and platform took approximately 12 years. Over the next ten years, minarets, a mosque, a javab and the Great Gate were erected.

Tombs of Padishah Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal

Taj Mahal - wonder of the world: the architecture of the mosque

The Taj Mahal is a five-domed structure with 4 minarets in the corners. Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his wife.

The mosque was erected on a platform, the strength of the foundation is due to the fact that the level of the site was raised 50 meters above the level of the banks of the Jamna River. The total height of the Taj Mahal is 74 meters. In front of the building there is a three-hundred-meter garden with fountains and a marble pool, from a certain angle, the entire structure is symmetrically reflected in its waters.

The most notable component of the Indian Taj Mahal is the white marble dome. The walls are also lined with polished translucent marble with elements of precious stones and gems (pearls, sapphires, turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian and others). The Taj Mahal Mosque is made in accordance with Islamic religious tradition, the interior is decorated with abstract symbols and lines from the Koran.

The Taj Mahal is considered the pearl of Muslim art in the country of India and the finest example of Mughal architecture, where Indian, Persian and Arabic elements are combined.

Since 2007, the Indian Taj Mahal has been on the list of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
What is the Taj Mahal? This name is translated from Persian as "The Greatest Palace" ("Taj" - crown, "Mahal" - palace).
Many valuable interior items of the Taj Mahal were stolen - gems, gems, the crown of the main dome - a golden spire and even the entrance doors made of silver.
Due to the peculiarity of marble, in different time days and depending on the weather, the Taj Mahal mosque is able to change color: during the day the building looks white, at dawn pink, and on a moonlit night - silvery.
Tens of thousands of people visit the Taj Mahal every day; per year - from 3 to 5 million people. Peak season is October, November and February.
The Taj Mahal has been featured in many films, the most popular of which are Armageddon, Mars Attacks!, Until I Played in the Box, Life After People, The Last Dance, Slumdog Millionaire.
Airplanes are prohibited from flying over the Taj Mahal.

How to visit: price, tickets, opening hours

Entrance cost *: for foreigners - 1000 INR **, for citizens of India - 530 INR. **

* The ticket includes a visit to the Taj Mahal, the ancient fort (Agra Fort) and the Mini Taj (Baby Taj) - the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula.
** INR - Indian Rupee (1000 INR = 15.32 $)
** Prices are as of October 2017

Opening hours:

Daytime: 6:00 - 19:00 (weekdays, except Fridays - the day of prayers in the mosque).
Evening time: 20:30 - 00:30 (2 days before and 2 days after the full moon, except Fridays and the month of Ramadan).

Visiting rules: Only small handbags, mobile phones, cameras, small video cameras, water in transparent bottles are allowed to be brought into the Taj Mahal.

How to get to the Taj Mahal

Address where the Taj Mahal is located: India, Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Tejginj, Forest Colony, Dharmaperi.

If you are vacationing in Goa and want to get to the Taj Mahal, then there are no direct flights from Goa airport to Agra. You can fly to Delhi by plane, and from there there are daily flights to the city of Agra. The distance between Goa and Agra is about 2000 km.

Delhi to Agra on your own: by plane - 3-4 hours on the way; by bus - $ 15-20 (3 hours on the way); morning train 12002 Bhopal Shatabdi - $ 5-10 (2-3 hours on the way).

The easiest way: book an excursion or organization of an individual tour to Agra with a visit to the Taj Mahal. Most popular: Goa-Agra tour, Delhi-Agra tour.

To get closer to a popular attraction or to see the Taj Mahal from the rooftops of hotels and guesthouses, book hotels in Agra using the convenient Planet of Hotels service.

2.5 km from the Taj Mahal is the city's second most popular landmark - Fort Agra. This way you can see two architectural masterpieces in one day.

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