Taj Mahal, Agra

The Taj Mahal, located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River near Agra, is a white-marble stone mausoleum built in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture (a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles). The Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, has two monuments in the memory of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in its main building.

On either side of the Taj Mahal are two buildings made of red sandstone, a mosque and an assembly hall. The garden around it is very lovely, it has colorful flowers as well as there is also a fountain in which lights are lit at night.

The architecture of the Taj Mahal is actually an extension and depiction of early Mughal designs which is a fusion of Indian, Persian and Islamic design tradition. The Taj mahal was designed by Ustad Ahmed Lahori and Ustad Abdul Karim, approved by Shah Jahan. It is made of pure white marble with its characteristic luster and fine texture. The marble was obtained from Makrana in Rajasthan.

1. This architectural masterpiece is one of the most frequently visited places in India by photographers and foreign tourists.
2. It was initially named 'Roza-e-Munawwar' which means Unique Building Later, Shah Jahan renamed it as Taj Mahal as a loving tribute to his wife.
3. UNESCO World Heritage classified the Taj as one of the 'Seven Wonders of the World' in the year 2007, with over 100 million votes.
4. About 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones were used to decorate the Taj and they were imported from Tibet, China, Sri Lanka and parts of India.
5. The calligraphy done on the walls of the Taj Mahal is mostly taken from the holy book- Quran Sharif.
6. The Taj Mahal which is one of the most visited and beautiful monuments in India attracts more than 4-8 million visitors annually.
7. The crown changes its color depending on the amount of light and time. In this sense the Taj will appear pink in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden in the moonlight.
8. More than 20,000 laborers were employed to build the Taj Mahal.

📅 Last update: 2023-12-09 || ✍ Author: Sandhya Chauhan

Meet Sandhya, exploring India with curiosity and wonder. She shares info and tips in simple language, inviting you to join the journey. She is graduated in tourism and writes about the places of India.