Mausoleum of the Taj Mahal mosque. The Taj Mahal is the greatest monument to love. History of the creation of the mausoleum

One of the most wonderful creations human hands, a place that attracts millions of people from all over the world every year - the majestic and beautiful Taj Mahal - is rightfully a true symbol of India.

History of construction

The Taj Mahal is an amazing snow-white structure that was built as a tomb for the third and beloved wife of the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal, on the banks of the Jumna River in Agra. Despite the large harem, the emperor loved Mumtaz Mahal most of all. She bore him thirteen children, and died in 1631, when the fourteenth was born. The ruler grieved greatly after the death of his beloved wife, so he ordered the most skilled craftsmen of that time to be gathered to create a mausoleum that would become a symbol of his boundless love for Mumtaz. Construction began in 1632 and lasted over 20 years: the main complex was completed by 1648, and the secondary buildings and garden were completed five years later. The original “prototypes” of this grandiose tomb were Guri-Amir - the mausoleum of Tamerlane, the founder of the dynasty of Mughal rulers, located in Samarkand, the Jama Masjid mosque in Delhi, as well as the tomb of Humayun - one of the Mughal rulers.

Architectural miracle

The Taj Mahal is designed in the traditional Persian style and is a complex of luxurious and majestic structures built of white marble. The main place in it is occupied by the mausoleum itself, located in the center of the site. It has the shape of a cube with “cut” corners and is topped with a huge dome. The structure stands on a square “pedestal”, at the four corners of which there are tall minarets. The mausoleum inside has a large number of rooms and halls decorated with amazing mosaics, painted with subtle patterns and ornate ornaments. The coffin of Mumtaz Mahal is located in one of these rooms. And next to him is the coffin of Shah Jahan himself, who wished after his death to be buried next to his beloved. Initially, the ruler was going to build an exact copy of the tomb on the other side of the Jumna for himself, only from black marble, but he was unable to bring his idea to life, so he bequeathed to be buried in the Taj Mahal next to his wife. But it is worth noting that both of these coffins are empty, and the real burial place is in an underground crypt.

Initially, the mausoleum was decorated with a huge number of precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, and its main door was made of pure silver. But, unfortunately, to this day all these treasures have practically not survived, having “settled” in the pockets of not very honest “tourists”.

The Taj Mahal is surrounded on three sides by a beautiful park, the gates to which are also architectural masterpiece. Roads running along a wide canal lead through the park to the main entrance. And on both sides of the mausoleum there are two mosques.

Translated from Persian, “Taj Mahal” means “crown of all palaces.” And he truly is a “pearl” Muslim art in India and one of the internationally recognized masterpieces of the world's heritage."

The Taj Mahal was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

It is also worth noting that tourists are officially allowed to photograph the Taj Mahal only from one side - opposite the main entrance.

On a note

Location: Agra city, 200 km from Delhi.
How to get there: by train or express train to the railway station "Agra Cantt."
Official website: www.tajmahal.gov.in
Opening hours: daily from 6.00 to 19.00, except Friday. Two days before and two days after the full moon, the mausoleum is open in the evening hours - from 20.30 to midnight.
Tickets: foreigners - 750 rupees, local residents- 20 rupees, children under 15 years old - free. Tickets for night visits must be purchased one day in advance.

On July 7, 2007, in Lisbon (Portugal), the new seven wonders of the world were named and the Taj Mahal mausoleum-mosque was included in this list. It is located in Agra (India) near the Jamna River. The easiest way to get to the Taj Mahal Palace is to fly to Delhi by plane and from there take a bus, taxi or train to your destination. The journey by train takes up to 3 hours, by taxi 3-5 hours. It is considered a crime if you visit India and do not see the Taj Mahal Mosque.

It is simply impossible to describe the splendor and beauty of this mosque in words. This is a truly fabulous and beautiful architectural structure that combines elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian architectural styles.

The emergence of the Taj Mahal is the story of the tender love of Shah Jahan, the Mughal king, for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. While still a prince, Shah Jahan took a 19-year-old girl as his wife, and his love for her was boundless. Despite owning a large harem, he gave all his tenderness and attention to only one Mumtaz. She bore him 14 children, six girls and eight boys. But during the last birth, Jahan's wife died. Shah Jahan's grief was so great that he lost the meaning of life, turned gray, declared 2 years of mourning and even wanted to commit suicide.

It was built over the grave of his wife by order of Shah Jahan. beautiful palace The Taj Mahal in which he himself was buried a few years later near the grave of his wife. The Taj Mahal is not just a wonder of the world, it is a symbol of the eternal love of two people. Shah Jahan promised before his wife's death to create a monument that would convey all the beauty of Mumtaz.

Construction and architecture of the Taj Mahal

History does not answer the question of who built this mosque. The fact is that in the Islamic world of that period all construction ideas were attributed not to the architect, but to the customer. A group of architects worked on the mosque, but the main idea belongs to Ustad Ahmad Lakhauri. Construction of the palace began in December 1631. The construction of the central mausoleum ended in 1648, and 5 years later the construction of the entire complex was completed. Over the course of 22 years, about 20 thousand people took part in the construction of the Taj Mahal. More than a thousand elephants were used to transport materials that were delivered from India and Asia. The blocks of marble were pulled by bulls along a specially built 15-kilometer ramp made of compacted earth. Sculptors from Bukhara, stonemasons from Balochistan, masters of inlay from southern India, calligraphers from Persia and Syria, as well as specialists and craftsmen in cutting marble ornaments and erecting towers worked at the construction site.

The Taj Mahal is considered the “pearl of Muslim art in India.” The most famous component of the palace is its white marble dome, which due to appearance also called onion dome. Its height is 35 meters. Its crown is made in the Islamic style (the moon's horns point upward) and was originally made of gold, but was replaced with a bronze copy in the 19th century.

The height of the mosque itself is 74 meters and is represented by a five-domed structure with four minarets in the corners. The minarets are slightly tilted in the direction opposite to the tomb, so as not to damage it during destruction. The building is adjacent to a garden with a swimming pool and fountains. Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs, which are located strictly above the burial place of the Shah and his wife. The walls of the palace are made of marble inlaid with gems (carnelian, agate, malachite, turquoise, etc.). And in the rays of light the walls are simply mesmerizing. In sunny weather, marble looks white, on a moonlit night it turns silver, and at dawn it turns pink.

The exterior of the Taj Mahal is considered one of the best examples of architecture. Various plasters, paints, carvings and stone inlays were used to create decorative elements of the mosque. Also, excerpts from the Koran were used for the decorative and artistic design of the complex. On the gate of the Taj Mahal is written: “O you, resting soul! Return to your Lord satisfied and having achieved contentment! Come in with My servants. Enter My Paradise!

The interior of the palace used great amount semi-precious and precious stones. The interior hall of the Taj Mahal is a perfect octagon. The height of the walls is 25 meters, and the ceiling is decorated in the shape of the sun and is represented by an internal dome.

The only asymmetrical element of the complex is the cenotaph of Shah Jahan, which is located near the grave of his wife. It was completed later and is larger in size than Mumtaz's cenotaph, but decorated with the same decorative elements. On Mumtaz's tombstone there are calligraphic inscriptions that praise her, and on Jahan's tomb it is written: "He set out on a journey from this world to the abode of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth day, the month of Rajab 1076."

TO architectural complex adjacent is a magnificent garden that extends 300 meters in length. In the center of the park there is a water channel, which is lined with marble and in the middle of it there is a pond. It reflects the image of the tomb. Initially, the garden amazed with its abundance of vegetation, but over time the landscaping of the garden changed.

Myths and legends

There is a legend that Shah Jahan wanted to build an exact copy of a palace made of black marble on the opposite bank of the river, but did not have time. There is also a myth that the emperor brutally killed the architects and craftsmen who took part in the construction of the palace, and all the builders signed an agreement in which they agreed not to take part in the construction of such a structure. But to date, such information has not been confirmed by anything and remains just fiction and legend.

Tourism

Every year, the Taj Mahal mosque is visited by millions of tourists from different countries. Tourists are interested in the fact about its optical focus. If you move backwards towards the exit, respectively, facing the palace, you get the feeling that the mausoleum is simply huge against the backdrop of trees and the environment. And by the way, planes are prohibited from flying over the Taj Mahal. The mosque is open to the public from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, except Fridays, when prayers are held there. The Taj Mahal is also open for night viewing on the day of the full moon, including two days before and after the full moon, except Friday and the month of Ramadan.

The Taj Mahal in India is located near Agra. In its external majestic appearance, it resembles a temple, but in fact it is a mausoleum built in honor of the second wife of Shah Jahan - Mumtaz Mahal (otherwise known as Arjumand Bano Begum).

History and Legends of Mumtaz Mahal

Translated, Taj Mahal means Crown of the Mughals. For some time it was also called Taj Bibi-ka-Rauza or the burial place of the queen of the heart. According to an old legend, Prince Guram, the future Shah Jahan, once saw a poor girl in the market. Looking into her eyes, he immediately decided to take her as his wife. So at the age of 19, Arjumand Bano Begum acquired the status of the second wife of Prince Guram. Guram had many other wives and concubines, but it was Mumtaz who won the heart of the future ruler for a long time.

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

During the conquest of the throne, Mumtaz became the prince's most faithful companion. But the struggle was serious: the prince was opposed by his brothers, and besides, he had to hide from his own father Jahangir. But still, in 1627, Guram managed to seize the throne and receive the status of Shah Jahan - the ruler of the world.

Mumtaz occupied an important place in the life of the government. Shah Jahan organized various receptions and feasts in her honor. Mumtaz was present at all important state ceremonies, she was listened to even at state councils.

The specific facts about Mumtaz's life and death are mixed up in different sources, which over time made them a legend. So Mumtaz gave birth to nine or thirteen children, and died in 1636 or 1629. The reason is also confused - according to one of them she fell ill, according to the other she died during childbirth. Much comes down to the fact that this event occurred during the return with victory from the Deccan. Legend also says that before her death, Mumtaz asked her husband to build a tomb equal to their love.

History of the creation of the mausoleum

Initially, the queen was buried in Burkhan-Nur, where she died. Six months later, her remains were brought to Agra. And on the anniversary of his death, Shah Jahan began construction of the mausoleum. The best architects of the East took part in the project competition. All the masters were surpassed by the architect Usto Isa Khan Effendi from Shiraz. The emperor generally liked his project very much, and was only partially changed later.

It took 22 years for 20 thousand people to build this landmark of India. The tomb itself was surrounded by a wall made of red sandstone. In front of the Taj Mahal mausoleum, a huge courtyard was built for the future garden. According to one of the beautiful legends, on the opposite side of the Jumna River, the ruler began the construction of another mausoleum of the same shape, but made of black marble, for himself. Shah Jahan's love for symmetry is visible in this legend and in the general architecture of the building. The construction of an anti-copy of the mausoleum was not destined to come true - his son Aurangzeb intercepted the throne and imprisoned his father in the Red Fort. This is how Shah Jahan spent his last years lived under house arrest and died in 1666.

According to his father's will, Aurangzeb transfers his body to the Taj Mahal to his wife. Many other wives of Shah Jahan, as well as some family members and their associates, were also buried here.

The Taj Mahal is really very beautiful building. No description, photo or video can convey the true beauty of this structure. The architecture of the building conveys a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. The fortress walls at the corners are framed by pavilion towers. In the center rises the tomb building itself in iridescent colors depending on the lighting. At night it appears dazzlingly white, and when the river is in flood, all this beauty is evenly reflected in its flow.

The building is surrounded on three sides by a park. The façade of the palace is made up of a marble portal flanked on either side by two domed towers. Along the central axis of the mausoleum in front of the facade there is an irrigation canal divided by a pool. There are paths from the pool towards the four minarets, to which access has been closed due to suicide cases.

The feeling of lightness of the building from afar is reinforced by its decoration upon closer examination. So the walls are painted with a subtle pattern, the marble blocks are inlaid with gems that shimmer in the light. It seems that this building was erected quite recently. It is not surprising that according to another legend, Shah Jahan ordered the hands of the architect to be cut off so that he could not repeat this.

Two side staircases lead to the second floor of the tomb, where open terraces lie under a huge dome rising to a height of 74 meters. Niches are carved into the facade of the building, which further enhances the feeling of weightlessness of the building. Entering through the facade passage, you can see a spacious hall, in the center of which there are two white marble sarcophagi.

Sarcophagi

The walls of the building are decorated with stone mosaics. They are woven into many plants, garlands of flowers, letters. The vaults of the arches are painted with fourteen suras from the Koran.

The Indian Taj Mahal, the most famous monument of love, has long become a symbol of this country. It is one of the most popular attractions among tourists, perceived as an eternal love story in stone.

Built in the second half of the 17th century by Shah Jihan, the magnificent Taj Mahal mausoleum is considered the pinnacle architectural structures Muslim type. The style in which the Taj Mahal was built is a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. The complex includes five main elements: a gate, a garden, a mosque, a jawab and the mausoleum itself. It is believed that Shah Jahan carefully selected and adjusted the design of the mausoleum, and the best architects of the East at that time worked on the project. The main idea of the entire complex was worked out by Ustad Mohammed Isa Effendi, a Byzantine Turk. Shah Jahan personally chose the place to build the mausoleum, below Agra on the right bank of the Jamuna River. Construction lasted from 1631 to 1647, with more than 20 thousand workers constantly working on it.

The Taj Mahal was built on a piece of land south of the walled city of Agra. Shah Jahan exchanged a piece of land he liked, owned at that time by Maharaja Jai Singh, for a palace in the very center of Agra.

The approximately three-acre (1.2 hectare) area was dug up and the soil was replaced to reduce water infiltration from the nearby river. The level of the construction site was raised 50 meters above the level of the river bank. In the place where the mausoleum is located today, wells were dug and filled with rubble stone, forming the foundation of the structure.

Instead of scaffolding made of tied bamboo (standard used in India today), large-scale scaffolding of brick was erected that surrounded the perimeter of the tomb. Interesting fact The point is that the scaffolding was so impressive in size that the construction managers feared that dismantling it could take years. But according to legend, Shah Jahan announced that anyone could take and keep as many bricks as they wanted, and the forests were dismantled by the peasants almost overnight.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum building, together with the surrounding park and other buildings, occupies an area of 17 hectares. Access to the mausoleum is open from the southern side of the garden, where there are two entrance portals on the same line. After passing the second gate, you enter the territory of a clearly planned garden, which is divided into squares by four canals, and the intersection point is the pool in the center of the park.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum stands on an artificial platform near the banks of the Jamna River. The author of the mausoleum is considered to be the Indian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The Taj Mahal is a compact white marble building with traditional Indian architecture cut off corners, which is crowned by a dome and four chattris at the corners of the roof. The building is entirely made of white marble, and the artificial platform is only lined with marble, but together they perfectly reflect the sun's rays, flooding everything around with sunlight.

On the eastern and western sides of the Taj Mahal mausoleum, strictly along the transverse axis, there are two red sandstone buildings with three white domes. The building on the right is “Jawab” - a shelter for pilgrims, and on the left is a mosque where memorial services were held; the buildings are symmetrical and fit perfectly into the complex.

In the center of the artificial platform there is a tomb; when viewed from above, it is a square with beveled corners. Inside, the walls are surrounded by a bypass corridor with octagonal chambers at every corner. In the very center there is a burial chamber, above which two domes are raised - one inside the other. The outer dome is topped with a spire, and the inner (smaller) dome serves to maintain proportions. Inside burial chamber there are portals, one on each side.

Entering the burial chamber, you will see cenotaphs surrounded by an openwork marble fence; the original burials are located directly under the burial chamber.

The outside of the structure is crowned with an onion dome, raised high above the flat roof of the burial chamber. Simple proportions determine the relationship between the verticals: the width of the building is equal to its total height of 75 meters, and the distance from the floor level to the parapet above the arched portals is half the entire height.

The interior surfaces of the Taj Mahal are made with such grace that you can spend hours looking at the floral patterns made in stone. Gems and multi-colored marble were used in the decoration of the Taj Mahal; materials were supplied from all over the world.

A mosaic of multi-colored pieces of agate, carnelian, onyx, turquoise, amber, jasper and coral reproduces the flower garlands and bouquets decorating the walls of the funeral hall. The epigraphic decor is made of black marble, reproducing the suras of the Koran.

The Taj Mahal is an outstanding architectural monument and one of the main attractions in India dating back to the Mughal period. The Taj was built as a mausoleum for Shah Jahan's beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. Shah Jahal himself was later also buried in the Taj Mahal. The word Taj Mahal is translated as “The Greatest Palace”: Taj in translation means crown, mahal means palace.

Taj Mahal - history of creation

The history of the creation of one of the main attractions of India began in 1630. The Taj Mahal was built on the banks of the Jamna River, south of the city of Agra. The Taj Mahal complex includes:

minarets;
mosque;
jawab;
Big gate.

20,000 artisans and craftsmen worked on the construction of the Taj. Construction lasted twelve years. The mausoleum-mosque combines Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. The height of the five-domed building is 74 meters; four minarets rise at the corners of the building. The minarets are tilted to the side so that when destroyed, the tomb of the Shah and his wife does not damage.

The mausoleum is surrounded by a beautiful garden with a fountain and a swimming pool, which reflects the entire building. The Taj Mahal Mausoleum, located in the city of Agra, is famous for its optical trick: if you walk with your back to the exit, the building appears huge compared to the surrounding trees. The center of the complex is the tomb. It is a symmetrical structure with an arch, erected on a square pedestal and topped with a large dome. The height of the main dome, built in the shape of an onion, is impressive - 35 meters. On the tops of the domes are traditional Persian figures.

What is the Taj Mahal made of?

The foundation consisted of wells filled with rubble stone. The materials were transported on a fifteen kilometer ramp using oxen and carts. Water was extracted from the river using a rope-bucket system. From a large reservoir, water rose into the distribution compartment, from where it was delivered to the construction site through three pipes. The construction cost was 32 million rupees.

The majestic finish deserves special attention: white polished translucent marble inlaid with gems such as turquoise, agate, and malachite. In total, twenty-eight types of semi-precious and precious stones are inlaid into the walls of the tomb. The marble from which the mausoleum is made was brought from quarries 300 kilometers from the city. During the day, the walls of the mosque look white, at night - silver, and at sunset - pink.

Craftsmen were invited to build the Taj Mahal not only from India, but also from Central Asia, the Middle East, and Persia. The designer of the main building is considered to be Ismail Afandi from Ottoman Empire. There is a legend according to which a copy of the Taj should have been located on the other side of the Jumna River, but only made of black marble. The building was not completed. For a plot of 1.2 hectares, the soil was replaced and the site was raised 50 meters above the river level.

Taj Mahal - interesting facts

According to legend, after being overthrown by his son, Shah Jahan admired the Taj Mahal from the windows of his prison. An interesting fact is that the tomb of Humayun in Delhi is very similar to the Taj Mahal, built, like the Taj Mahal, as a sign of the great love story between spouses. Moreover, the tomb in Delhi was built earlier, and Shah Jahan used the experience of building the tomb of the Mughal emperor during its construction. There is also a smaller copy of the Taj Mahal, located in the city of Agra. This is the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula, built in 1628.

Since 1983, the Taj Mahal has been a World Heritage UNESCO. According to a survey conducted in 2007, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Currently, there is a problem of shallowing of the Jumna River, as a result of which the mausoleum is settling and cracks are forming on the walls. Also, due to air pollution, the walls of the Taj, famous for their whiteness, turn yellow. The building is cleaned with special clay.