Taj Mahal is one of the grandest human architectural inventions. The most iconic attraction in India, it attracts around 7 million tourists every year. It was built as a testimony of love and is regarded as such to this day.
1
Taj Mahal is an Islamic mausoleum in the city of Agra.
2
It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal, called the Chosen One of The Palace, died in 1631 while in labor with her 14th child. Since she was the emperor’s beloved wife, he sought to house her remains in a complex dedicated to her memory. To this day, the mausoleum is regarded as the symbol of true love.
3
The mausoleum houses the remains of both Shah Jahan and his wife.
At first, the emperor hoped to build a black marble mausoleum for himself similar to the Taj Mahal, but the construction never went underway, since he was deposed and imprisoned by his third son, Aurangzeb.
4
The emperor and empress are buried in a plain crypt.
According to Islamic tradition, graves cannot be decorated.
5
It is made of red sandstone and covered with white marble.
The color is said to change its hue depending on the time of the day–pink in the morning, milky white in the evening, and deep blue at night, with a golden hue when illuminated by the moonlight.
6
Building materials were transported from various countries.
They came from Tibet, China, Punjab, and Sri Lanka, among others.
7
It is a central part of a 17-ha complex.
The complex includes a mosque, a guest house, and a grand garden, surrounded by crenellated walls on three sides.
8
The mausoleum was built in a symmetrical manner, according to Islamic and Persian architectural principles.
9
The Taj Mahal minarets lean slightly outwards.
The main reason was that in case of an earthquake, they would not fall on the mausoleum. The lean also creates an optical illusion, making the Taj Mahal look bigger from a distance.
10
It took over two decades and around 22,000 laborers and artisans to complete the construction.
11
It is a spectacular mixture of Persian, Islamic, and Indian architectural styles.
12
The walls of the Taj Mahal are carved with Koran passages and decorated with marbles and gemstones.
During the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857, British soldiers ripped off many of the precious stones from the walls.
13
The chief architect of the mausoleum was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
He also laid the foundations of the Red Fort–a historic fort in Old Delhi, India, the main residence of the Mughal Emperors.
14
The name Taj Mahal means the Palace of the Crown.
Taj in Persian means a crown, and Mahal means palace.
15
The cost of the construction is estimated at INR 32 million in 1653, which currently is approximately US$1 billion.
16
An estimated 1,000 elephants were used to transport materials for the construction.
17
In 1983, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
