The Taj Mahal is an extraordinary love story preserved in marble. Taj Mahal, Agra, India In whose honor the Taj Mahal was built

The Taj Mahal is one of the most recognizable landmarks in India. The grandiose mausoleum erected in the first half XVII century, is among the best examples of architecture of the Mughal Empire and combines elements of several outstanding Asian styles.

In 1983, the building was inscribed on the UNESCO List as a true pearl of Islamic art and a masterpiece of architectural heritage, admired throughout the world.

In which city is the Taj Mahal located?

The Taj Mahal was built in the city of Agra, on the banks of the Jamna River. There is a legend that it was planned to erect a similar structure on the other bank, but in black, and between the two complexes there was to be a marble bridge. However, the second mosque was never built.

The site on which the Taj Mahal stands extends south of the Agra fortress wall and covers an area of about 1.2 hectares. Before the construction of the mausoleum, these lands belonged to the Indian Maharaja Jai Singh and were purchased from him by the padishah of Shah Jahan.

What is the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal is the unofficial symbol of India. The luxurious structure is a complex structure with five domes, four minarets at each corner and an adjacent picturesque park with a swimming pool and fountains. Shah Jahan, who built it, pursued the goal of preserving the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to her 14th child.

After the construction of the building, the woman’s body was placed in a tomb built on the underground level of the Taj Mahal, and after his death, Shah Jahan himself rested next to Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is both a mausoleum that preserves the remains of the great Indian ruler and his wife, and a mosque where supporters of the Hindu religion come to pray. Every day the building is visited by tens of thousands of tourists eager to admire its outstanding architecture.

On average, up to 5 million people visit the mausoleum every year, including from abroad. To meet the needs of so many visitors, the nearby town of Mumtazabad opened food markets and caravanserais.

When was the Taj Mahal built?

Construction of the complex began in 1630. Over 22 thousand builders who were invited from all over the Empire took part in the work. Materials for construction were brought from different regions of Asia, and thousands of elephants were used for transportation. Jadeite and jade were brought from China, multi-colored jasper from the Indian state of Penjam, and elegant white marble from the city of Makran.

The construction of the tomb took just over 20 years and was completed in 1653, but for about a decade additional work was carried out around the Taj Mahal, such as the construction of minarets and the central gate.

What is the Taj Mahal famous for?

Despite its grandeur, the Taj Mahal amazes visitors with its amazing airiness, achieved through unusual proportions and an original facade with semicircular niches. The main dome, 74 meters high, seems to carry the rest of the complex skyward, richly decorated with polished marble inlaid with gems. In total, 28 types of stones were used to decorate the building, including agate, turquoise, and malachite. Thanks to the characteristics of marble, the mausoleum appears white in bright sunlight, but at sunset it takes on a pinkish tint.

There are many signs and symbols hidden in the architecture and planning decisions of the complex. In particular, on the Great Gate you can see inscriptions from the Koran. The building is especially attractive due to the large marble pool in front of the entrance, in the waters of which you can see the reflection of the entire mosque.

The tall minarets, located at the corners of the main platform, are slightly inclined relative to the building, which was done for safety reasons - if they collapse during earthquakes, they will not damage the main building.

Because of its scale and amazing beauty, in 2007 the Taj Mahal was included in the list of seven new wonders of the world and stood on a par with such significant buildings as the Italian Colosseum and the Great Wall of China.

But people will always remember one of them. Not for military victories, but for the exciting story of his love, rare in strength and depth. Taj Mahal - a real temple great love Padishah Shah Janan and his wife.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum is located in India, in the city of Agra. The monument combines the best examples of Muslim, Persian and Indian architectural thought. This monument is one of the 7 wonders of the world and business card countries. Every year, millions of tourists admire this outstanding creation of human genius. The English poet and journalist Edwin Arnold called the monument “the love suffering of the emperor embodied in stone,” and Rabindranath Tagore called it “a tear on the cheek of eternity.”

It is especially interesting that this Indian miracle looks different depending on the time of day and weather. At dawn, the color of the Taj Mahal changes from milky to silver and then pink. Snow-white at midday, it turns golden at sunset. A in rainy weather, marble appears translucent.

History of the Taj Mahal

From the 16th century The Great Mughals ruled in India. Their fifth padishah (emperor), Shah Jahan, had, as is customary among Muslims, his own harem. His third wife in 1612 was Arjumand Banu. Shocked by the beauty of his daughter-in-law, her father-in-law called her Mumtaz Mahal - “Decoration of the Palace” during the wedding. According to one version, Shah Jahan accidentally saw this poor girl at the bazaar. According to other information, she was the daughter of the first vizier.

According to the testimony of someone who lived in India in those years French traveler and doctor Francois Bernier, after the wedding other women ceased to exist for Shah Jahan. The couple were inseparable. Mumtaz Mahal was present at all state ceremonies, and even accompanied her husband on military campaigns. In one of them, in 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died giving birth to their 14th child.

Shah Jahan took the death of his beloved wife extremely hard. He turned gray in one week, didn’t want to see anyone, and was on the verge of suicide. Six months later, he transported the temporarily buried body to Agra, where he began creating a mausoleum for his late wife, which had no equal on earth. The planned structure was intended to be beautiful, like Mumtaz Mahal was, and majestic, like the love between her and Shah Jahan.

Construction of the mausoleum-mosque lasted 22 years. Over 20 thousand people were employed there. The best builders, sculptors and calligraphers were invited from Persia, Ottoman Empire and Europe. Most researchers believe that the Persian architect Ustad Isa Muhammad supervised the work. The mausoleum received the name Taj Mahal - “Crown of Palaces”.

A few years after the completion of construction, Shah Janan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb, and placed under arrest in the Red Fort of Agra. The consolation for the former ruler was the opportunity to see his creation from the window. And in 1666, Aurangzeb fulfilled the last request of his deceased father to bury him next to his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal.

The most beautiful architectural and historical monument was not always appreciated. It turned out to be unfavorable for him most of British colonial period. So, in the 19th century. The British turned it into an entertainment venue with dancing. Guests vacationing here (not only the British, but also Indians) often simply plundered the decor of the facade and interior. The vandals did not spare even the tombs, which lost many treasures.

The Taj Mahal was saved from complete decline by Lord Curzon, the Governor-General of India, who knew how to appreciate beauty (unlike his predecessors). By his order, at the beginning of the 20th century. A large-scale restoration of the monument was carried out. She allowed the building to be restored to its former splendor. And in 2002, they restored its original color by using an ancient cosmetic recipe from Indian women for cleaning. At the same time, the movement of any transport, with the exception of electric ones, was prohibited around the palace.

Architecture of the Taj Mahal

It consists of:

Darwaza - main gate;
Rauza - mausoleum;
Masjid - mosque;
Naqqar Khana - guest house;
Bageecha - garden.

The complex opens with massive marble gates with graceful arches, towers and small 22 (according to the number of years of construction) domes. Carved on the gate is a saying from the Koran, ending with the words of the Almighty addressed to the soul of the righteous “Enter My Paradise!” Behind the entrance there is a 300-meter garden with an irrigation canal and a marble pool. The central building of the Taj Mahal complex, the mausoleum, is located deep in the garden, which is the road to it.

The white marble mausoleum is built on a raised, huge stone platform. The symmetrical building with an arched doorway reaches a height of 74 m. It is topped by a large 35-meter onion-shaped dome, surrounded by four small domes. They have gilded decorations on their tops and a bronze Islamic crescent on the main dome (it was originally gold). When observed, the building seems airy due to the same width and height, huge niches cutting through the facade, and the main dome, as if pulling the entire structure upward.

Around are four 40-meter minarets, slightly angled outward. This was done specifically in case of an earthquake in order to protect the mausoleum. On both sides of it there is a mosque and a symmetrical guest house repeating its shape. The mosque is most beautiful at sunset, and the guest house at dawn.

The walls of the mausoleum are painted with floral and geometric patterns traditional for Muslim religious buildings. They are inlaid with semi-precious stones - jasper, jade and yellow marble. The craftsmanship of the creators is amazing: some decorative elements measuring 3 cm contain more than fifty precious inlays. The space around the arched openings is covered with inscriptions with suras from the Koran. They all seem to be the same size. This optical illusion is created by increasing the font size and letter spacing as you move away from the floor.

Under the main dome are the cenotaphs (false tombstones) of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, decorated with ornaments and inlays. Shah Jahan's sarcophagus, built later, is the only asymmetrical component in the entire complex. The walls of the burial hall are covered with ornaments of stone flowers. The actual graves are located under the main hall inside the basement, and are not open to visitors.

The predominant part of the complex is occupied by a garden - a symbol of paradise where Mumtaz Mahal ascended. The layout is dominated by the Muslim sacred number 4. A central reservoir with canals divides the garden into 4 parts. Each of them has 16 flower beds, separated by walking paths. Symmetrically planted cypress trees symbolize death, and fruit trees symbolize life. Dark cypress trees enhance the shine of marble. The water surface not only copies the beautiful monument and sky, but also adds soft lighting from below.

Travel to India

Tourist information

You can get from Delhi to Agra, located 200 km from the capital, in several ways:

by Shatabdi Express train departing from New Delhi Station at 6:00 am; travel time - 2 hours, ticket price for carriages of different classes - 400 INR - 750 INR (Indian rupees);
by Taj-Express train from Nizamuddin Station at 07:15, arriving in Agra 3 hours later;
by express bus in 3 hours;
by taxi for 2000 INR.

You can travel from Agra to the Taj Mahal by rickshaw or taxi. It is recommended to use the services of state prepaid taxis, which are distinguished by their reasonable price - 150 INR, and the integrity of their drivers. A ticket for the trip must be purchased at the ticket office located directly opposite the exit from railway station Agri.

The Taj Mahal is open to the public every day, except Fridays and the month of Ramadan, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. In the evening from 20:30 to midnight, the monument can be visited for 5 days during the full moon. Filming with amateur equipment is allowed, but only from the entrance: it will cost 25 INR. Ticket for 750 INR must be purchased the day before the visit at 22, The Mall Road at the Archaeological Survey of India office. Rickshaw drivers know this place as the Taj Mahal Office.

In 1612, a descendant of Tamerlane, Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan) married Mumtaz Mahal. The prince was delighted with the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal, the wedding could only be held if the stars were favorable, they had to wait five years for this moment, and their meetings were impossible.

In 1628, Shah Jahan began to rule India, everyone noted the very tender and close relationship between the Sultan and his wife, despite the presence of a large harem. This was the only person whom the ruler trusted completely; he even took his wife to accompany military campaigns, since he did not want to be without her for a long time.

A year into Shah Jahan's reign, in the 17th year of marriage, his beloved wife died during the birth of their 14th child. The Sultan lost his beloved man, his best friend and his wise adviser. The Sultan wore mourning for two years, and his hair turned completely gray from grief. A new impetus for the continuation of life was his vow to build a unique tombstone worthy of his wife, which later became a symbol of their love.

Construction

In 1632, the construction of the Taj Mahal began, which lasted more than 20 years. The city chosen was Agra, at that time the economic and social center of India. Shah Jahan recruited more than 20,000 of the best craftsmen and workers in India and Asia. For the construction of the grandiose monument, they purchased best materials. The mausoleum was built of white marble, using a record number of precious and semi-precious stones for decoration and interior decoration. The doors were made of silver, the parapet was of gold, and the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal was covered with a cloth studded with pearls.

In 1803, the tomb was plundered by Lord Lake, 44 tolas of gold were taken away, and many precious stones were taken from the walls. Lord Curzon, having come to power, passed laws that made it possible to save the Taj Mahal from complete plunder. In 1653, the Sultan began construction of a second mausoleum, an exact copy of the Taj Mahal, only made of black marble. Construction could not be completed, the country was exhausted from internal wars. In 1658, Shah Jahan was overthrown by one of his sons, and was kept under arrest for 9 years. Shah Jahan was buried in the same crypt with his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal.

Structural features

The Taj Mahal is in the center big park, which can be entered through a gate that symbolizes the entrance to heaven. In front of the mausoleum there is a large marble pool. The building itself looks weightless, despite its impressive size (height 75 meters). It is a symmetrical octagonal building topped by a large white dome. Mumtaz Mahal was buried in a dungeon, exactly under a dome resembling a flower bud. When measuring the building, clear symmetry and many interesting geometric coincidences were revealed.

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum, 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, as well as 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 associated with it.

The 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 included in the list of sites World Heritage UNESCO. It is essentially an integrated complex of structures, the central and iconic component of which is the white domed marble mausoleum. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1653, and thousands of artisans and craftsmen worked day and night to create this miracle. A council of architects worked on the construction, but the main one was Ustad Ahmad Lakhauri

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

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

Taj Mahal Mausoleum

The tomb is the architectural center of the Taj Mahal complex. This huge, white marble structure stands on a square pedestal and consists of a symmetrical building with an arched doorway, 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 if they fell, 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. Because of 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 topped with gilded figures in the traditional Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of gold, but was replaced by a replica in bronze in the 19th century. The crown is labeled with the month in typical Islamic style, with horns pointing upward

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

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

Throughout the complex, passages from the Koran are also used as decorative elements. On the gate at the entrance to the Taj Mahal park complex there are four verses from the 89th sura of the Koran “Dawn”, addressed to the human soul:
“O you, resting soul! Return to your Lord satisfied and having achieved contentment! Come in with My servants. Enter My Paradise!

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

Interior

The interior of the Taj Mahal strays far from traditional decorative elements. Used inside a large number of precious and semi-precious stones, and the inner hall is a perfect octagon, which can be accessed from any side of the structure. However, only the south door on the garden side is used.
The internal walls are 25 meters high with a ceiling in the form of an internal dome decorated in the shape of a sun. Eight large arches divide the interior space into proportional parts. Four central arches form balconies and observation decks with a viewing window carved into marble. In addition to these windows, light also enters through special openings at the corners of the roof. Like the outside, everything inside is decorated with bas-reliefs and inlays

Muslim tradition prohibits the decoration of graves. 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 tombstone praise Mumtaz. The rectangular diamond shape on the lid of her tomb was presumably designed to allow writing on. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz, and is the only asymmetrical element in the entire complex, as it was added later. It is larger than the wife's coffin, but decorated with the same elements

On the tomb of Shah Jahan there is a calligraphic inscription that reads: “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.”

Taj Mahal Gardens
Let's move on to a description of the magnificent garden adjacent to architectural complex. The Mughal garden stretches 300 meters in length. The architects came up with raised paths that divide each of the 4 parts of the garden into 16 sunken 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 the garden after seeing the same luxuries among 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, and 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 central London

Adjoining buildings
The Taj Mahal complex is bordered on three sides by crenellated red sandstone walls, with the river side remaining open. Outside the walls of the central structure there are several additional mausoleums where the rest of Jahan's wives are buried, as well as the large tomb of his beloved servant Mumtaz. These structures are built of red sandstone, typical of Mughal era tombs. Located nearby Musical House, which is now used as a museum. The main gate is a monumental structure built from marble. Its vaulted passages follow the shape of the vaulted passages 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 made of the same red sandstone, located on either side 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 may have been 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 with Jai Singh Grand Palace in the center of Agra in exchange for this land. Large-scale excavation work was carried out on the territory of the complex. A huge pit was dug and filled with dirt to reduce the flowability of the soil. The site itself was raised 50 meters above the river level. When laying the foundation of the tomb, deep wells were dug and filled with rubble for drainage and foundation support. Instead of bamboo scaffolding, workers built huge brick supports surrounding the tomb - this greatly facilitated further work. Later it took years to dismantle these scaffoldings - they were so huge. In order to speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed the peasants to use these bricks for their needs.

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

Materials from all over Asia were used for the construction of the complex. More than a thousand elephants were used for transportation. In total, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into white marble. 20 thousand workers from northern India were involved in the construction. Most likely, they did 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, and stone carvers from Balochistan, Turkey, and Iran were also involved.

Soon after the completion of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his own son Aurangzeb and arrested at the Delhi Fort. After his 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 looted by British soldiers and officials, who carved 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 modified, giving the lawns a British style.

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

Currently, the complex is threatened by environmental pollution. Due to the pollution of the Jumna River, there is 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 and a yellow coating appeared, which has to be cleaned annually. The Indian government is taking urgent measures to close hazardous industries in Agra and expand the environmental protection zone, but this has not yet had an effect

The Taj Mahal is India's top tourist attraction, attracting between 2 and 4 million tourists annually, more than 200,000 of them from abroad. There is a special entry price for Indian citizens, many times lower than for foreigners. The complex brings huge amounts of money to the state treasury, replenishing the budget. Most tourists visit the complex starting in October, during the cooler time of year. Due to measures to protect nature, access by buses is prohibited here; an electric tram that brings tourists from special remote parking lots is supervised

In the second third of the 17th century. representative of the Mughal dynasty (1526–1858) Shihab ad-din Shah Jihan I (1628–1657) built the magnificent Taj Mahal mausoleum near Agra. , erected at the behest of Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz, who died early, is considered the pinnacle architectural structures Muslim type. The Taj Mahal was created in the Mughal style - a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture traditions. The complex includes five main elements: a gate, a garden, a mosque, a jawab and the mausoleum itself. Shah Jahan carefully selected and adjusted the design of the mausoleum, turning to the best architects of the East at that time. The main idea was developed by Ustad Mohammed Isa Effendi, a Byzantine Turk, a student of the largest Turkish architect Sinan, a Greek by birth. Masters from India, Central Asia, Persia, and Arabia participated in the development of the project. Shah Jahan himself chose the site for the unheard of mausoleum below Agra on the right bank of the Jamuna. Construction lasted from 1631 to 1647; About 20 thousand workers were constantly employed there.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum, together with the surrounding park, occupies a significant area of 17 hectares. Access to the gardens and to the mausoleum is open from the southern side of the garden, where two entrance portals, decorated with traditional chattris, stand on the same line. After this, the visitor enters the territory of a clearly planned garden, which is divided into squares by four channels, at the intersection of which there is a swimming pool. The mausoleum building itself is located on the north side.

The tomb was erected on an artificial platform on the banks of the Jamna River. The platform is paved with white marble. The mausoleum, attributed to the Indian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, is a compact building made of white marble with the traditional cut corners of Indian architecture, with a large dome and four chattris on the roof. The building is entirely made of white marble, which perfectly reflects the sun's rays. According to legend, the Shah wanted a separate black mausoleum to be built for him on the opposite bank of the Dzhamna River. However, Shah Jihan was dethroned by his own son Aurangzeb.

On the eastern and western borders of the Taj Mahal complex, strictly along the transverse axis relative to the main building, there are two red sandstone buildings. Each building is topped with three white domes. And although they have a different purpose (on the right is “Javab” - a shelter for eminent guests, and on the left is a mosque where memorial services were held), all the buildings logically fit into the memorial complex.

In the center of the platform there is a tomb with a square plan with beveled corners. On the inside of the wall there is a bypass corridor with octagonal chambers at each corner. In the center there is an 8-sided burial chamber, topped with a low dome; Portals lead inside it, one on each side. The chamber contains the cenotaphs of the Taj Mahal and Shah Jahan, surrounded by an openwork marble enclosure (their surface is inlaid with semi-precious stones), while the original burials are in the crypt directly below the chamber . From the outside, the arched portal on each façade is flanked by two tiers of niches, and the entire structure is topped with an onion dome raised high above the shallow internal domed bowl burial chamber. Simple proportions determine the plan and the ratio of the verticals: the width of the building is equal to its total height of 75 m, and the distance from the floor level to the parapet above the arched portals is half the entire height.

Above the main room (according to the prevailing Indian architecture traditions) two domes were raised - one inside the other. The outer dome is topped with a spire, and the inner (smaller) dome is made in order to maintain harmony with the interior space. This constructive solution appeared in the Timurid era, and in India it was first used during the construction of the mausoleum (1518) of the Delhi ruler Nizam Khan Sikandar II (1489–1517) from the Lodi dynasty.

The ornamentation of the internal surfaces of the Taj Mahal is striking in its elegance. Gems and multi-colored marble were used in decoration. Thus, the epigraphic decor is made of black marble, reproducing the suras of the Koran in suls handwriting. It is known that the Mughal emperors were passionate about flora: they planted flower beds and rose gardens, special plantations of ornamental plants. This love is fully present in the decoration of the interior of the mausoleum. A mosaic of multi-colored pieces of agate, carnelian, lapis lazuli, onyx, turquoise, amber, jasper and coral reproduces the flower garlands and bouquets decorating the walls of the funeral hall. One gets the impression that the Taj Mahal was created not as a tomb, but as a monument to the emperor’s love for his incomparable wife Mumtaz Mahal (Mumtaz - “incomparable”, Arabic).

The mausoleum has numerous symbols hidden in its architecture and layout. For example, on the gate through which visitors of the Taj Mahal enter the park complex surrounding the mausoleum, a quote from the Koran is carved, addressed to the righteous and ending with the words “enter my paradise.” Considering that in the Mughal language of that time the words “paradise” and “garden” are written the same way, one can understand Shah Jahan’s plan - to build paradise and place his beloved within it.

Opposite the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the same mausoleum made of black marble - for himself. But as soon as the builders managed to deliver the first blocks of black marble, one of the eldest sons of the inconsolable Shah - Jahangir - overthrew his father from the throne. He asked only for one thing - that the Taj Mahal be visible from the place of his imprisonment.

Shah Jahan ended his days in a secluded tower two kilometers from the mausoleum he built, looking at it from a small window. When his vision weakened, a large emerald was cut into the wall opposite the window, in which the snow-white tomb of his beloved Mumiaz was reflected.

A well-known legend claims that the Taj Mahal is the tomb of the wife of the Mughal (Mughal - dynasty of rulers of India 1526-1858) Shah Jahan. It is believed that this architectural monument took 22 years to build (1631-1653), after which the Shah wanted to build a similar structure, but from black marble, for himself. Realizing that such construction would ultimately ruin the state, the king’s own son put an end to this idea by putting his father in prison. However, this is only one theory about the origin of the Taj Mahal. Beautiful, attractive for tourists. Romantic. Is it true?

alternative history

There are those who challenge the official theory, pointing to the following facts:

Muslim rulers often established tombs in captured temples and palaces.

In the archives of the Maharaja of Jaipur at that time, there are two orders from Jahan to transfer the Taj to Jahan.

The name "Taj Mahal" does not appear in Mughal annals. The official theory refers to the name of the deceased, Mumtaz (Mumtaj) Mahal, but her name was actually Mumtaz-ul-Zamani.

The Mughal annals do not say anything about the mad love of Jahan and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani. This story has no historical basis.

A certain Albert Mandelslo, a European who visited Agra in 1638, 7 years after the death of King Jahan, made no mention of the traces of grandiose construction that undoubtedly should have remained. Another European, Peter Mundy, who was in Agra a year after Jahan's death, wrote about the Taj Mahal as a very ancient structure.

And finally, hydrocarbon analysis shows that the building is at least 300 years older than Jahan.

Professor P. N. Oak believes that the name "Taj Mahal" comes from the name of Sri Shiva - "Tejo Mahalaya", and the building itself is an ancient temple of Sri Shiva.

Many rooms of the Taj Mahal have been sealed since the time of Jahan.

It is also reported that Professor Oak's research was banned during the time of Indira Gandhi, whose name is still cursed by many Indians.