Taj Mahal

Introduction

The famous Taj Mahal is an ivory-marble mausoleum.   This is to mean that it is made of an ivory white marble that is located on the Yamuna River’s South bank in Agra. This mausoleum was commissioned in 1632 by Shah Jahan who was an emperor of the Mughal Empire.

The Taj Mahal is a very important place in India as it is a popular tourist attraction site as well as a symbol that demonstrates the country’s rich cultural heritage.

What does Taj Mahal Mean

Famously, Taj Mahal is a name that is used to mean the Crown of the Palace. This name was given to the structure by the emperor Shan Jahan who built the monument in remembrance of the death of his beloved wife. The monument would serve as the tomb for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. The reason as to why it was given the name is to show the love that the emperor had for his wife. The wife was the major source of happiness for the emperor and hence she was the crown of the Mughal Empire palace.

Who built Taj Mahal?

Taj Mahal was a very big project. The construction of Taj Mahal began in the year 1632 after it was commissioned by the emperor Shan Jahan. The land where the structure is built was bought from Maharajah Jai Singh after Shan Jahan offered him a huge palace located in the center of Agra. The land was of around 3 acres was first excavated and then filled with soil. The materials that were employed in the construction of this monument were gotten from India and other parts of Asia. The building materials were transported using elephants while the workers who worked on building this monument were gotten from all over India and they completed building Taj Mahal in 1643. The total cost for building this monument was 32 million rupees by then, which is a sum that would amount into approximately 52.8 billion rupees currently.

Why was the Taj Mahal built?

Construction of the Taj Mahal followed an emotional inspiration. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum that was built by the Mughal Emperor Shan Jahan to be the tomb of his wife named Mumtaz Mahal. She was the favorite wife of the emperor which led to Shan Jahan commissioning such a tomb to be built for her. Mumtaz Mahal, who was a princess in Persia, died during child birth. Although this was the initial reason as to why the Taj Mahal was built, the structure has greatly developed over the years and it is now a popular tourist attraction site and a major architectural structure in India. The construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1632 and ended in 1643. The Taj Mahal was established as a symbol of love to show the strong love that the emperor had for his wife.

Who was the engineer of Taj Mahal?

Construction of this mausoleum required skilled personnel. The Taj Mahal was commissioned for construction by Shan Jahan. However, the real architect of the structure was named Ustad Ahmad Lahori. He was a renowned architect who was from the Mughal Empire. Ustad led the team of workers who worked towards constructing one of the most historical monuments in India. He oversaw the construction of the Taj Mahal from the year 1632. This architect used architectural designs from Persia, which was the birth country of Mumtaz Mahal. He also used architectural designs of Islam and Mughal. Shan Jahan was an emperor who believed in having the best architectures working for him and although he did not carry out the engineering work on his own, he was actively involved in the architectural ideas and making any necessary modification.

What is so special about Taj Mahal?

There are numerous things worth recognizing about Taj Mahal. These include;

• It is a monument that served as a symbol of love. The emperor Shan Jahan constructed the Taj Mahal as a tomb to bury his most favorite wife called Mumtaz Mahal who died when giving birth. Shan Jahan grieved heavily for his wife and the grief was directed towards constructing a monument that would remind him of her.
• Taj Mahal is also special due to the architectural designs that were used in constructing the monument. The building has been declared to be one of the buildings in the world that have the best architecture. The architectural designs that the engineer used in building the structure were gotten from Persia, Mughal Empire and also from the Islamic culture.

Architectural Excellence

The architectural designs used in building Taj Mahal were gotten from Persia and from the Mughal architecture. Unlike other Mughal buildings that were made from red sandstone, this one was made from white marble and semiprecious stones.

1. The tomb which is the major part of the Taj Mahal is a structure made of white marble that is made from Persian architecture. The base of the tomb is a huge cube that has multiple chambers. There is a marble dome that is found around the tomb which is popularly known as the onion dome.
2. When it comes to the exterior decorations, this structure has the best Mughal architecture decorations that are proportionately placed externally. The decorations range from exotic paints reflective tiles, flowers and vines.
3. The interior decorations are made out of precious gemstones. The interior chamber has an octagonal shape. There are also flowers that have been carved out of marble and detailed floor tiling and paint.
4. There is the garden that has raised pathways and flowerbeds. There are also trees and fountains as well as a reflecting pool and a water tank. The initial Mughal gardens that were made during the initial construction of the structure died and the modern day garden was made by the British.
5. The outlying buildings which include other mausoleums, main gateway and mosque are also made out of rich Mughal architecture.

Major tourist attraction

Many foreigners go to Taj Mahal as tourists every year. The monument gets many tourists during the months of October, November and February when it is a little cooler. The place gains a lot of tourist attraction as it is listed in the list of the famous New Seven Wonders of the World, additionally, it is also a major tourist recommendation site.

Conclusion

The famous mausoleum named the Taj Mahal is major tourist destination sites in the world. This structure that is located in India was constructed during the Mughal Empire and it is a structure that is popularly known for its major architectural designs and also a symbol of love. Shan Jahan, who was the emperor that constructed this building, built it so that it could serve as the burial place for his favorite wife. The exterior structure of the building including the garden lost its original Mughal designs and it was replaced by the British who planted laws that resemble the London lawns.