Taj waved like. Taj Mahal - the greatest monument to love

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear about India? Exactly - Taj Mahal! Everyone knows these two words. It is the most recognizable and famous monument of India and one of the seven wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal is a world miracle that stands on the banks of the Yamuna River and looks more like a fabulous structure “emerging” from the waters of the river. The Taj Mahal has a rich history that dates back to 1630 AD.

In fact, this is not a classical monument, but a mausoleum where Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, rests. The emperor built this mausoleum as a sign of great and strong love for his wife. This miracle was built from marble, and its construction took 22 years and the labor of 20 thousand workers. It is impossible to convey the magnificence of the monument in words; it really needs to be seen.

Where is the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is believed to be located in Delhi. This is not entirely true. The mausoleum is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the city of Agra - it is approximately 200 km away. from Delhi. Agra is part of the famous Golden Triangle of India.

How to get to the Taj Mahal

Agra is well connected by rail. The main station of the city is called Agra Cantt.

• The fastest way to get from Delhi, Varanasi and cities of Rajasthan is by high-speed train Shatabdi Express.
• Since 2012, a fast train has been running from Delhi, reaching the city of Agra in less than three hours. The express train departs from Noida station (eastern Delhi). One way fare will cost 320 rupees., and 520 rupees if you take a round trip ticket. An SL class train will cost 170 rupees (thanks to Pavel for the clarification).
• An alternative option is to get there by plane from big cities, and from Delhi you can book a special sightseeing tour.

Opening hours of the Taj Mahal mausoleum

The mausoleum is open daily from 6 am to 7 pm, except Friday (on this day prayers are held here).

You can also admire the Taj Mahal by moonlight - two days before and two days after the full moon, the mausoleum is open in the evening hours - from 20.30 to midnight.

Entrance fees to Taj Mahal

• For foreigners, the entrance fee will cost 250 rupees (entrance tax from the Archaeological Society of the country) and 500 rupees (fee from the Agra Development Department), total - 750 rupees.
• Local residents pay only 20 rupees.
• Children under 15 years old have free admission.
• At night, tickets cost 500 rupees for local residents and the same 750 rupees for foreign tourists, but they must be purchased 24 hours before the visit at the special ticket office of the Archaeological Research Society on Mall Road.

You can enter the Taj Mahal from three sides - the South, East and West gates. The main entrance is the West Gate - there are always long queues here. The South Gate is located next to Taj Ganj Square, which is popular among tourists, and the city's budget hotels are also located in the area. The shortest queues gather at the East Gate (from Shilpgram Street). But to buy a ticket you will have to walk about a kilometer - the ticket office is located far from the Eastern Gate.

Taj Mahotsav Festival

The week-long Taj Mahotsav festival takes place in the city of Agra every year from February 18 to 27, and all the action takes place in close proximity to the Taj Mahal - in the Shilpgram area. The festival focuses on the arts and crafts of the Mughal era.

Residents of Agra recreate the Indian culture of that era at the festival. The Taj Mahotsav begins with a stunning procession featuring camels, elephants and drummers. Then you can take part in camel or elephant racing, and keep the children busy with games on a special playground.

Of course, the festival also hosts a “belly festival” - you can try the whole variety of local dishes. By the way, the location of the festival was not chosen by chance - the workers who built the Taj Mahal once lived on this street.

The Taj Mahal changes its “appearance” throughout the day. Don’t be lazy and come at dawn – with sunrise the mausoleum reveals all its grandeur. And one more thing - be prepared for an influx of beggars and barkers.

If you don’t want to spend money on an entrance ticket and stand in line, you can admire the view from the other side of the river. One such place is Mehtab Bagh. This is a luxurious Mughal garden, which occupies an area of ​​10 hectares and is located directly opposite the main entrance to the Taj Mahal.

The entrance fee to the garden is 100 rupees and it is open until sunset.

The city of Agra is quite dirty and not very friendly, don’t spend much time here. The best time to visit the Taj Mahal is from November to February. In any other month, you may experience either extreme heat or heavy rainfall. True, exactly in this "not a season" tourists are offered big discounts.

What else to see in Agra – 3 interesting places

1. A ghost town standing in the middle of the desert, Fatihpur Sikri was once supposed to be the capital of the country. One day is enough to travel 40 km. from Agra and look at its remains.
2. Nature lovers will love the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, which is located in the Keoladeo National Park, 55 km away. from the city.
3. Another attraction worth visiting is the tomb of Akbar the Great, built of red sandstone and multi-colored stones. It is located in the village of Sikandra, 13 km away. from Agra

tomb of Akbar the Great

Ghost town of Fatihpur Sikri

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

The girl that 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 that he did not look at other women until her death. At the same time, she did not sit at home, always accompanied him on military campaigns and was the only person in the world whom he trusted and with whom he often consulted.

This gives grounds to assert 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).

They lived together for about seventeen years, during which time Mumtaz gave birth to fourteen children to her husband, and died during the birth of the last child. First, she was buried in the city in which she died, in Burhan Noor, 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 was supposed to be worthy of Mumtaz in beauty and would tell descendants a story of incredible love by its very appearance.

It was decided almost immediately in which city to build the Taj Mahal mausoleum (“taj” means “crown”, “mahal” means “palace”): the suburb of Agra, one of the most beautiful and developed cities in India, located on the banks of the river, was best suited for this way. To be able to build a mosque on the chosen territory, 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 turned out to be seismically resistant - in the years following the completion of construction work, earthquakes failed to cause serious damage to the structure.

The main building was designed by Turkish architect Ismail Afandi from the Ottoman Empire, and his compatriot Usatad Isa is considered the creator of the architectural image of the monument - it was their designs that Jahan liked most. The choice of the ruler turned out to be 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 styles, and was recently recognized as one of the wonders of the world.

Construction of the tomb

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

An area near the city (Agra) measuring 1.2 hectares was dug up, after which, in order to reduce the flowability of the soil, the soil was replaced. The level of the site planned for the construction of the mosque was raised 50 meters above the shore level. After this, the workers dug wells and filled them with rubble stone, thus obtaining a foundation, which was also supposed to act as a kind of cushion during earthquakes and would prevent the complex from collapsing.

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

To deliver building materials to the mosque, the Hindus built a gently sloping earthen platform along which oxen dragged luggage located 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, which were located 300 km from Agra.

The marble blocks were raised to the required height using special devices. The water needed 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 sent through pipes to the construction site.

Architectural complex

All buildings of the Taj Mahal, Agra architectural complex were extremely carefully planned from a geometric point of view. The central building of the complex is a mausoleum that tells the story of the love story of the ruling couple of India. This wonder of the world is surrounded on three sides by jagged walls built from red sandstone, thus leaving it open for viewing only from the river side.

The Taj Mahal tomb, Agra, is surrounded by several more tombs in which 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 there).

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

In front of the mausoleum there is a luxurious park, the length of which is 300 meters. 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 completely reflected (paths lead from it to the four minarets).

According to descriptions of eyewitnesses, in former times Agra and its park amazed with the abundance of vegetation: roses, daffodils, and a huge number of garden trees grew here. After India came 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 structure of this architectural complex, located in the city of Agra, is the Taj Mahal mausoleum, built of white marble. It is best viewed from the river, since there is no wall 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 pre-dawn fog, and the rays that appear create an amazing play of colors on the walls.

Such airiness and a feeling of “floating” are given to the mausoleum primarily by unusual proportions, when the height of the building has the same dimensions as its width, as well as a huge dome, which seems to carry with it the smaller elements of the structure - four small domes and minarets.

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

The top of the dome is decorated with a month, the horns of which are directed upward (until the 19th century it was gold, and then it was replaced by 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 inclination in the direction opposite to the tomb, there are four gilded towers (minarets) about 50 m high (the inclination was provided at the early stage of construction work so that if they fell, they could not damage the main structure).

The walls of the Taj Mahal (Agra) are painted with a fine pattern and built of white marble with gems inserted into it (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 throughout the day: during the day the tomb is white, at dawn it is pink, and on a moonlit night it becomes 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

The inside of the Taj Mahal (city of Agra) looks no less remarkable than the outside. The entrance to the mausoleum is decorated with a gallery with elegant columns. The hall inside the tomb is an octagon, which can be entered from any side of the tomb (now this can only be done from 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 located under the floor.

On the lid of the sarcophagus of the ruler's wife there are inscriptions praising her. The only asymmetrical element in the entire complex is Jahan’s sarcophagus, which was installed after his death: the ruler’s coffin is slightly larger than his wife’s coffin. 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 internal dome.

The entire space inside the hall is divided by eight arches, above which you can read quotes from the Koran. The four middle arches form balconies with windows through which light enters the hall (besides these windows, the sun's rays enter the room through special openings in the roof). You can climb to the second floor of the mausoleum via one of two side staircases. The walls inside the tomb are everywhere decorated with mosaics made of gems, which form various symbols, plants, flowers, letters.

Death of Jahan

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

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, imprinting its memory for centuries in a unique building that still stands today.

The Taj Mahal is a recognized symbol of eternal love, because it was created for the sake of the woman who won the heart of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Mumtaz Mahal was his third wife and died giving birth to their fourteenth child. To perpetuate the name of his beloved, the padishah conceived a grandiose project to build a mausoleum. Construction took 22 years, but today it is an example of harmony in art, which is why tourists from all over the world dream of visiting the wonder of the world.

Taj Mahal and its construction

To build the world's greatest mausoleum, the padishah recruited more than 22,000 people from all over the empire and surrounding states. The best craftsmen worked on the mosque to bring it to perfection, maintaining complete symmetry according to the emperor's plans. Initially, the plot of land on which it was planned to install the tomb belonged to Maharaja Jai ​​Singh. Shah Jahan gave him a palace in the city of Agra in exchange for empty territory.

First, work was carried out to prepare the soil. The area, which exceeds a hectare in area, was dug up and the soil was replaced to ensure the stability of the future building. The foundation was dug wells, which were filled with rubble stone. During construction, white marble was used, which had to be transported not only from different parts of the country, but even from neighboring countries. To solve the transportation problem, we had to specially invent carts and construct a lifting ramp.

Only the tomb and its platform took about 12 years to build; the remaining elements of the complex were built over the course of another 10 years. Over the years, the following structures have appeared:

• minarets;
• mosque;
• jawab;
• Big gate.

It is precisely because of this length of time that disputes often arise as to how many years it took to build the Taj Mahal and what year should be considered the moment of completion of the construction of the landmark. Construction began in 1632, and all work was completed by 1653, the mausoleum itself was ready in 1643. But no matter how long the work lasted, the result was a stunning 74-meter-high temple in India, surrounded by gardens with an impressive pool and fountains .

Features of the architecture of the Taj Mahal

Despite the fact that the structure is so culturally significant, there is still no reliable information about who actually was the main architect of the tomb. During the work, the best craftsmen were involved, a Council of Architects was created, and all decisions made came exclusively from the emperor. Many sources believe that the project to create the complex came from Ustad Ahmad Lakhauri. True, when discussing the question of who built the pearl of architectural art, the name of the Turk Isa Muhammad Effendi often comes up.

However, it does not really matter who built the palace, since it is a symbol of the love of the padishah, who sought to create a unique tomb worthy of his faithful life partner. For this reason, white marble was chosen as the material, signifying the purity of the soul of Mumtaz Mahal. The walls of the tomb are decorated with precious stones arranged in intricate patterns to convey the amazing beauty of the emperor's wife.

The architecture intertwines several styles, among which notes from Persia, Islam and Central Asia can be traced. The main advantages of the complex are considered to be a chess floor, minarets 40 meters high, and an amazing dome. A special feature of the Taj Mahal is the use of optical illusions. For example, inscriptions from the Koran written along the arches appear to be the same size throughout their entire height. In fact, the letters and the distance between them at the top are much greater than at the bottom, but a person going inside does not see this difference.

The illusions do not end there, since you need to observe the attraction at different times of the day. The marble from which it is made is translucent, so it appears white during the day, at sunset it acquires a pinkish tint, and at night under the moonlight it gives off a silvery appearance.

In Islamic architecture it is impossible to do without images of flowers, but how skillfully the mosaic monument was made cannot fail to impress. If you look closely, you can see dozens of precious stones encrusted just a couple of centimeters deep. Such details are found inside and outside, because the entire mausoleum is thought out to the smallest detail.

The entire structure is axially symmetrical from the outside, so some parts were added just to maintain the overall appearance. The interior is also symmetrical, but narrower in relation to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. The general harmony is disturbed only by the tombstone of Shah Jahan himself, which after his death was installed next to his beloved. Although for tourists it does not matter what the symmetry inside the room looks like, because it is decorated so exquisitely that the eye is distracted, and this is considering the fact that most of the treasures were looted by vandals.

To build the Taj Mahal, it was necessary to install massive scaffolding, and it was decided to use durable brick rather than the usual bamboo. The craftsmen who worked on the project argued that it would take years to disassemble the created structure. Shah Jahan took a different route and announced that anyone could take as many bricks as they could carry. As a result, the structure was dismantled by city residents in a few days.

The story goes that upon completion of construction, the emperor ordered the eyes and hands of all the craftsmen who performed the miracle to be gouged out, so that they could not reproduce similar elements in other works. And although in those days many actually used such methods, it is believed that this is only a legend, and the padishah limited himself to a written assurance that the architects would not create a similar mausoleum.

The interesting facts do not end there, because opposite the Taj Mahal there should have been the same tomb for the Indian ruler, but made of black marble. This was briefly stated in the documents of the son of the great padishah, but historians are inclined to believe that they were talking about the reflection of the existing tomb, which from the pool appears black, which also confirms the emperor’s passion for illusions.

There is a debate that the museum may collapse due to the Jumna river becoming shallower over the years. Recently, cracks were found on the walls, but this does not mean that the reason lies only in the river. The temple is located in a city where it is influenced by various environmental factors. Once snow-white marble takes on a yellow tint, so it has to be cleaned frequently with white clay.

For those who are interested in how the name of the complex is translated, it is worth saying that from Persian it means “greatest palace.” However, there is an opinion that the secret lies in the name of the chosen one of the Indian prince. The future emperor was in love with his cousin even before marriage and called her Mumtaz Mahal, i.e. Decoration of the Palace, and Taj, in turn, means “crown”.

Note to tourists

It is not worth listing what the great mausoleum is famous for, because it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is also considered a New Wonder of the World. During the excursion, they will definitely tell a romantic story about who the temple was built in honor of, as well as give a brief description of the stages of construction and reveal the secrets of which city has a similar structure.

To visit the Taj Mahal, you will need an address: in the city of Agra, you need to get to State Highway 62, Tajganj, Uttar Pradesh. It is allowed to take photographs on the territory of the temple, but only with ordinary equipment; professional equipment is strictly prohibited here. True, many tourists take beautiful photos outside the complex, you just need to know where the observation deck is located, from which you can see the view from above. The city map usually indicates where you can see the palace and from which side the entrance to the complex is open.

Taj Mahal, mausoleum of Sultan Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Architect Ustad Isa. 1630-1652

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum is located in the city of Agra in northern India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was created in a style later called “Mughal”, which combined the traditions of Indian, Persian and Arabic architecture. Actually, the mausoleum was the first building built in the new spirit. The Taj Mahal was built at the behest of Shah Jahan (1592-1666). the fifth ruler of the Mughal dynasty, as the burial place of his wife Arjumand and a monument to their love. Arjumand was the daughter of the minister Jangir and is better known by the titles Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen of the Palace) or Taj Mahal (Crown of the Palace).
Initially, the tomb was called Raoza Mumtaz Mahal or Taj Bibiha Raoza, which in Arabic means “tomb of the mistress of my heart.” Only later, during the time of the English colonization of India, the modern name of the Taj Mahal was assigned to the building.

Architect controversy

After the conquestexploration of India by the British, a number of scientists put forward hypotheses that the truecreatorThe tomb was designed by a European architect. Possibly ItalianGeronimo Veroneo, who worked at the court of Shah Jahan. Or Frenchjeweler AAugustine de Bordeaux, one of the creators of the Golden Throne of the Mughals.Opponentsthey are objected to: in the architecture of the structure and construction techniques there are noeuro tracespei technical achievements of that time, but everything is connectedbetter thanowned Indian, Persian and Arab architecture. Specificwaysstone treatments used in construction were known onlyeasternmasters. And domes like the dome of the Taj Mahal were erected in thatperiod lin Samarkand and Bukhara.

LOVE IN STONE
Shah Jahan's beloved wife died in childbirth in 1631 at the age of 38. The saddened emperor decided to perpetuate her memory in a previously unseen tomb. The ruler of one of the most powerful and richest countries of that time took full advantage of the opportunities
of his position. He sent messengers to all the architectural centers of the Islamic world: Istanbul, Baghdad, Samarkand, Damascus and Shiraz, convening the most famous architects of the East. At the same time, drawings and plans of all the famous buildings in Asia were brought to his order in Agra. The ruler wanted to erect a building, the equal or even the like of which did not exist in the world.

Many projects were considered. Perhaps this was the first architectural competition in history. As a result, Shah Jahan settled on the version of the young Shiraz architect Ustad Isa.
Then the actual preparation for construction began. Masons from Delhi and Kandahar, considered the best in India, came to Agra. Artists and calligraphers were hired in Persia and Baghdad, decoration was done by Bukharians and Delhiites, and skilled gardeners from Bengal were invited to create the landscape ensemble. The management of the work was entrusted to Ustad Isa, and his closest assistants were the prominent Turkish architect Hanrumi and the Samarkand resident Sharif, who created the magnificent domes of the mausoleum. Thus, the Mumtaz Mahal mausoleum combined all the best that the architecture and decorative arts of the East had achieved at that time.

TAJ MAHAL MUSEUM

In addition to the actual architectural complex of the mausoleum, on the territory of the Taj Mahal there is also a museum exhibition dedicated to the history of the Mughal dynasty. It presents a unique numismatic collection, art and everyday objects of the 16th-17th centuries. Along the walls of the museum there are gardens in the famous Mughal style - copies of the garden surrounding the mausoleum.

Ustad Isa took late Indian architecture as a basis, in particular the Humayun Mausoleum - the burial place of the first Mughals and members of their families. But at the same time he made considerable changes, abandoning, for example, his predilection for numerous columns (there are none at all in the Taj Mahal). According to court historian Abdul Hamid Lahori. construction began six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal and lasted 12 years. In 1643, the central building of the tomb was completed.

Construction was completely completed in 1648, but, apparently, after
After this, finishing continued for several more years. In total, construction and finishing took 22 years. More than 20 thousand people simultaneously participated in the work, for whom a special town of Mumtazabad was built near Agra.
The main material was white marble, delivered on elephants from the quarries of Johapur - more than three hundred kilometers away. Inlays with precious and semi-precious stones were widely used in decoration. There were Hindu Kush lapis lazuli, Chinese jade of all colors, Deccan moonstone, Persian amethysts and turquoise, Tibetan carnelian, and malachite imported from Russia. According to legend, “much more gold and silver than an elephant could carry away” was used for the inlays. Red sandstone and black marble were used for the main lines in the ornaments.
In order to raise materials to a greater height for the construction of the main dome, according to the design of the Turkish engineer Ismail Khan, a sloping earthen embankment 3.5 km long and almost 50 m high was built. On it, elephants could deliver marble blocks to the work site without interference. When Shah Jahan saw the completed mausoleum, he cried with admiration.

Despite its enormous size, the mausoleum looks weightless. In many ways, this effect is achieved thanks to the four minarets, which have a carefully planned deviation from the vertical axis. This was supposed to save the tomb from destruction by debris from the minarets in the event of an earthquake.

Soon, Shah Jahan wanted to build a similar mausoleum next to the Taj Mahal, but in black color - for himself.
However, this was not destined to come true. The emperor fell ill, and a war broke out in the country between his sons. Thanks to the support of the Muslim clergy, the younger one, the Islamic fanatic Aurangzeb, won, executing all his brothers and not even sparing his own father.
Shah Jahan spent the rest of his life in the casemate of the famous Red Fort of Agra, built by his great-grandfather Akbar, the founder of the dynasty. From there he had a view of the Taj Mahal - the last consolation of the captive. According to the chronicler Abdul Hamid Lahori, feeling the approach of death, the prisoner asked his jailers to bring him to the window and, looking at the tomb of his beloved wife, “sank into a deep, eternal sleep.” According to the will, he was buried next to Arjumand.

The proportions of the Taj Mahal were so perfect that even a legend was born that during its creation they resorted to magic and the help of otherworldly forces. Another legend says that at the end of the work, the architects' eyes were gouged out, and the craftsmen's hands were cut off so that they could not create anything like that again. Of course, this is a myth. On the contrary, both the architects and builders were generously rewarded, and in addition, their work was well paid throughout the construction of the mausoleum. Which, by the way, gave Shah Jahan’s enemies reason to claim that the construction of the Taj Mahal ruined the treasury of the empire. But this is not true either: at that moment the Mughal power was very rich and occupied almost the entire Hindustan. Simultaneously with the construction of the tomb, extensive irrigation work was carried out in Punjab and successful wars were waged with its neighbors.

BEAUTY AND TIME
Time and people have not been kind to the monument. Aurangzeb was the first to destroy it, seizing the golden lattice that surrounded the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal. Condemning his father for senseless waste, he himself built a semblance of the Taj Mahal south of Agra - for himself and his eldest wife. But the copy turned out to be very unsuccessful and almost unknown to the general public.
After Aurangzeb, the mausoleum was looted under Nadir Shah in 1739. Then the silver doors of the main hall were taken away, later replaced by bronze ones that still exist today. When the British army occupied Agra in 1803, the soldiers took about 200 kg of gold from the Taj Mahal and picked out many precious stones from its walls. Most of these treasures went to the East India Company.
Only at the end of the 19th century. By order of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, the monument was taken under protection. Since then, his safety has been the concern of the Indian authorities - first the colonial ones, and after the declaration of independence - the national government. The leadership of the Department of Archaeological Surveys of India even achieved a ruling from the Supreme Court of the country to impose a ban on industrial activities in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal. Airplane flights are prohibited over the mausoleum so that vibration from the engines does not damage the unique monument.
Unfortunately, the normal functioning of the museum has been hampered by politics for several years now. Due to the intensification of terrorist organizations in India, the protection of the Taj Mahal had to be entrusted to the armed forces and intelligence services. The central pavilion of the mausoleum was closed to visitors back in 1984, after a clash between guards and militants occurred there. Since then, the Indian government has feared a repeat attack and has closely monitored the surrounding area. Ironically, the terrorist attacks against the Taj Mahal, built by one of India's greatest Muslim rulers, were planned and carried out by Islamic radicals.
Recently, the mausoleum has also been threatened by the forces of nature. Due to soil subsidence, changes in the hydrological regime and several earthquakes, the foundations of the minarets shifted, and only urgently taken measures to strengthen the soil saved the architectural miracle from destruction.

Mosaic panels on the walls of the Taj Mahal.
Inside, the walls of the Taj Mahal are decorated with mosaic images of fabulous trees and flowers. The thoughtful arrangement of windows makes the mausoleum literally transparent to sunlight and moonlight, and it requires almost no artificial lighting. In the center of the main hall there is an octagonal burial chamber topped with a low dome. Here, behind an openwork stone fence inlaid with precious stones, there are false tombs - cenotaphs. The real sarcophagi of Empress Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are located in the dungeon exactly under the cenotaphs. These tombs are covered with fantastic floral designs made of semi-precious stones.

The Taj Mahal is the pearl of world architecture. It is recognized as one of the most beautiful structures on Earth, and its silhouette is considered the unofficial symbol of India. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of sites under the protection of UNESCO.

IDEAL PROPORTIONS
In terms of plan, the Taj Mahal is somewhat similar to a classic Islamic religious building. In addition to the mausoleum itself, the complex of buildings includes a mosque and a covered gallery made of red sandstone, an arched gate, as well as an extensive garden with fountains and pools, laid out so that the tomb is clearly visible from all sides.
The mausoleum was erected on a vast platform of red sandstone, seven meters high, on which, in turn, a three-meter high Luzhe was built on it and the Taj Mahal itself rests. This absolutely symmetrical octagonal building, 57 meters high, is topped with a 24-meter dome, shaped like a lotus bud. The facades are decorated with pointed arches and niches, creating a subtle play of light and shadow.
The mausoleum is especially beautiful against the backdrop of the blue sky, and all this splendor is reflected in the rectangular pool located directly in front of the building. This is the first such experience in the world. In Europe, two years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, French architect André Le Nôtre used a body of water designed to reflect the façade of the palace.
White marble in combination with a carefully selected shade of the dome tiles - to match the color of the sky - creates the impression of incredible lightness of the monumental ensemble. The beauty of the Taj Mahal is emphasized by the play of light, especially in the evening twilight, when the marble is painted in various shades of purple, pink, and golden colors. Early in the morning the building looks like it is woven from lace. seems to be floating in the air.

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

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

The Legend of the Taj Mahal

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

In memory of his beloved wife and the years of their marital happiness, the Indian ruler ordered the construction of the most beautiful mausoleum in the world, the most beautiful of which is not in the whole world. The best architects and craftsmen of India and Europe were involved in the work - about 20 thousand people in total. Construction lasted for 20 long years, and a luxurious structure was built on the coast of the Jumna 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 in combination with the park that is laid out around it. The entire structure is made of snow-white marble, the square facade is pierced by semicircular niches, and thanks to this it looks as if weightless, despite its massiveness. The impression of “floating” is also created by the reflections of the facades in the canals of the gardens that surround the mausoleum. And the most amazing feature of this building is the ability to change its color depending on the time of day and the weather. In the rain it looks translucent, in the morning it glows pink, and at sunset it shimmers gold. The internal walls of the mausoleum are decorated with painted tiles and inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones and pearls.

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

Practical information

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

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

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