Waved india. Entrance fees to the Taj Mahal

23.09.2019

This grandiose mausoleum is called a monument of immortal love, and for many centuries everyone has been worried about its romantic history of creation. The Taj Mahal, recognized as one of the seven new wonders of the world, has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1983. The most famous of India, which has no analogues in the whole world, characterizes the whole era of the reign of the emperor.

The sadness and tenderness expressed in the stone make all travelers stop in admiration in front of the majestic masterpiece of art telling about amazing love.

History of creation

Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in the city of Agra. It was erected by order of the grandson of the ruler of the country, Shah Jahan, who dreamed of fulfilling the will of his wife who died during childbirth.

Their all tests, including eternity. It is surprising that the historical chronicles record the tender and romantic relationship between the ruler and his wife, whom the emperor fondly called the Taj Mahal, which means “the pride of the palace”. For Muslims, this is a great rarity, because strong love most often manifests itself in them for God and their homeland, but not for a woman.

Ancient legends

A beautiful legend says that after the tragic death of his beloved, the emperor did not leave his chambers for a week, and when the subjects saw their sovereign, they did not recognize him: he aged by several years and became gray-haired. Shah Jahan renounced the throne, indulging in great grief over his wife who had gone forever.

True, there is also a not so romantic version, telling that the ruler was overthrown by his own son, explaining his behavior by the fact that grandiose projects the father is ruining the country. But this is no longer very important for posterity, because the value of the world-famous monument is not diminished by this.

Oath fulfilled

Shah Jahan remembered how the mother of his children once asked to erect beautiful palace... Distraught with grief, the ruler vowed to build the most luxurious tomb in the world. In memory of his wife, a large-scale construction of a magnificent structure began.

So, thanks to the official records made by the subjects of the Muslim king, the official history of creation became known to us. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most expensive buildings in the world, on which huge funds have been spent.

The rest of my life spent in dungeon

There is another legend about the emperor's desire to build a second similar structure, but he did not have time to do this. And all that was left for him after he was overthrown by his own son was for the rest of his life to look sadly from the small window of the dungeon at the stone work of art, which became the tomb of his departed wife.

A masterpiece of world art

The Taj Mahal, the photo of which only to a small extent conveys the grandeur and scale of the work of world art, began to be erected, began in 1632. More than 20 thousand workers, gathered from all over the country, took part in the construction. Few people know about their further fate, but, according to legend, so that the masters would not tell anyone the secrets of the mausoleum erection, they were all executed after the completion of the work.

The venerable piece of land on which they erected luxurious palace, did not belong to the emperor, but he exchanged it with a subject to build a monument to his love. The builders filled deep wells with special mortar and stones to protect the structure from collapse due to the proximity of groundwater, and raised the foundation by 50 meters. The base was laid with marble blocks for extra stability.

Long-term construction

For more than 12 years, the stage-by-stage construction of the Taj Mahal has been going on in the city of Agra (India). Especially for the facing of the mausoleum, the purest marble was brought on elephants from one province of the empire, and the construction of other structures from it was strictly prohibited.

To feed the workers who tirelessly built the magnificent monument day and night, grain was brought to them to be sent to the provinces, and a terrible famine began in the country, which led to an unstable financial situation.

Visual effects

It is interesting that the Taj Mahal, whose photo evokes a feeling of admiration even among the most indifferent to architecture of a person, was designed taking into account optical illusions, very unusual for that time.

To get to the palace, you first need to go through the arch leading to the heritage of world culture. And here an interesting visual effect arises: as you approach it, the building seems to be receding. The same happens when exiting the arch, when it seems that the Taj Mahal is somehow getting much closer than before.

Another optical illusion that misleads visitors: it seems to them that the minarets located next to the mausoleum are erected in parallel. In fact, they deviate slightly to the sides, and such a project was justified by protecting the palace in case of earthquakes. The huge towers would not have damaged the mausoleum, but fell down next to it. Surprisingly, seismically dangerous place escaped cataclysms.

Tombs under the mausoleum

There are lines in the Koran that the peace of a deceased person cannot be disturbed. Under the main dome of the mausoleum, there is a tomb, which in fact is not. Fearing that someone would dare to disturb his beloved wife, the emperor ordered her to be buried in a secret room located under a unique masterpiece. After the death of Shah Jahan, his remains found shelter next to his wife.

Jewelry box

The Indian Taj Mahal, which combines several architectural styles, is surprisingly beautiful from the inside. The walls of the luxurious halls are decorated according to Italian technologies. Colorful patterns made of gems make the mausoleum a real treasure trove of treasures. The stones were delivered from different parts of the country, and even ambassadors came to Russia to purchase malachite, which is highly valued in the country.

The bifurcated palace

Built in accordance with the ideas of Islam about the afterlife, the famous Taj Mahal is divided into two parts. The four courtyards of the caravanserai and the bazaar streets belong to earthly existence, while the mausoleum and the Garden of Eden belong to the otherworldly. By the way, all the income received from trade went to the maintenance of the palace.

It is believed that the arch in front of the mausoleum and the beautiful pond in the middle of the main path represent a person's transition to another world.

Who is the author of the masterpiece?

Researchers cannot accurately name the architects of this amazing masterpiece. It is well established that foreigners did not take part in the design of the mausoleum. And some experts are sure that the ruler himself acted as the main author, because he was famous for his education and sense of style.

The architecture of the mausoleum expresses the basic principles of the era: strict lines and a symmetrical layout make the earthly building look like a heavenly palace.

Majestic complex

The complex itself consists of a tomb, four mirrored watchtowers - minarets, from the tops of which they called, announcing the beginning of prayers. On the sides of the mausoleum there are two mosques made of compressed sand. A most the territory of the art monument is occupied by an amazing park with a reservoir, which reflects a perfect example of art. At the end of the green corridor, visitors are greeted by the luxurious Taj Mahal.

Color solution

Noteworthy is the color scheme of the pearl. The buildings related to earthly life are made of fiery red sandstone, and the snow-white mausoleum symbolizes the belief in life after death.

It is interesting to watch the play of light when the sun's rays at dawn or dusk paint the walls in delicate colors.

Contemporary problems

Thousands of tourists, for whom the masterpiece is a symbol of India, visit the Taj Mahal. The country is proud of the national treasure, and the local authorities are very concerned about the safety of the sights for posterity. Unfortunately, an architectural monument with a huge history is settling and cracking.

Former capital of the Mughal Empire Agra (India) - populous city with a bad ecological situation. Polluted air causes the marble to turn yellow, and periodically, to improve the appearance of the building, it is rubbed with white clay. In addition, the cladding suffers from the pigeons settling under the dome.

Before entering, all visitors are carefully inspected. It is forbidden to bring lighters, cigarettes, food, mobile phones and even chewing gum into the mausoleum. Therefore, it is not recommended to take these things with you.

On Fridays, tourists are not allowed to enter the Taj Mahal, as Muslims gather at the nearby mosque in Agra to pray.

Immortality symbol

The world masterpiece, included in the list of new wonders of the world, continues to excite the minds with the special beauty of architectural lines and luxury of decoration, and creative people and all lovers are worried about the sad story of creation.

The Taj Mahal is stunning at first sight, and every visitor touches the eternity etched in marble. The ancient landmark, which has become a symbol of loyalty and immortality, will remain forever in memory, and the heart will preserve unforgettable experience from what he saw.

Taj Mahal is the most grandiose and mysterious architectural monument dedicated to love. Today this mosque is recognized as a new wonder of the world and is under the protection of UNESCO. This famous building is located in India and has no analogues in the world. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year, who are captivated by the romantic story of its creation. Read in this article the creation of the Taj Mahal (India, Agra): interesting facts, photos, convenient time to visit and, of course, an unforgettable love story.

Taj Mahal - a love story

With a love story that became the reason for the construction of the sights and you need to start acquaintance with this mausoleum in India. The history of creation says that the Taj Mahal mausoleum-mosque was built by order of Shah Jahan, the ruler and emperor of the Mughal Empire. The great ruler befell great sorrow, in the delivery of the fourteenth baby, his beloved wife died. For a whole year, the emperor could not come to terms with the loss, and then decided to erect the most majestic and beautiful tomb in the world in memory of his deceased wife.

So the construction of the temple began, which lasted as much as 21 years. This story of an architectural gem shows that the heart of the great ruler of an entire nation belonged to only one woman. By the way Jahan's love, Mumtaz was the third wife in the harem. The girl ended up in the ruler's harem when she was 19 years old, and all the years that the couple were together, the emperor did not see a soul in his wife. Architectural monument is included in the 7 wonders of the world of our time.

Construction and architecture of the Taj Mahal

It remains a mystery who built and was the author of the Taj Mahal project. In those days, the work of architects in the Islamic world was not held in high esteem, all the laurels and glory about the greatness of the buildings went to the customer, and therefore only the name of Shah Jahan is mentioned in the annals in connection with the construction of the shrine. According to historians, the main idea of the building belonged to the famous architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri at that time. It is the style of this architect that is clearly visible in the architecture of the mosque.

Construction began in the winter of 1632. The construction involved 20,000 people recruited from the emperor's subjects and brought from neighboring states. Only the best craftsmen were honored to participate in construction work, because, according to the emperor's idea, the tomb of his beloved wife was to become perfection.

Features of the architecture

The most remarkable feature of the architecture of this building is the optical illusion, which surprises not only tourists, but also eminent architects. The illusion lies in the fact that a person is used to it, when he approaches an object, the object increases, the code moves away, the object decreases. The opposite is true here. As you approach the temple, it visually becomes smaller, and the closer you are, the smaller the temple. And when you step backwards, the structure becomes more and more, and as a result it practically hangs over the person.

The building is divided into two parts, one symbolizes the worldly life, the other life beyond the grave, unknown and inexplicable. A path with a pond connects these two worlds, which originates from the arch of the mausoleum. This is the road of passage between the two worlds.

Inside the tourist attraction, tourists are greeted by a chic octagonal hall with luxurious columns. The walls are strewn incredible beauty precious stones and gems that have been collected all over the world. The ruler's ambassadors also came to Russia for rare varieties of malachite and jasper. Behind a marble screen, there are two shining sarcophagi of the Jahan couple. In fact, these tombs are not real, the graves of the spouses are underground.

Looting the tomb

Today it is known that during the civil uprising of 1857, the British seized gold, which was used to decorate the spiers of the tomb. The soldiers also carried most of the precious stones from the walls of the Taj Mahal. Many argue that the looting was much larger. According to legends, doors made of carved jasper, as well as diamonds and Persian carpets, disappeared.

Today it is impossible to say for sure what was really kidnapped, but after the uprising, the British Viceroy in India made every effort to restore the wonder of the world, spending a lot of money on it. To prevent this from happening again during the Second World War, scaffolding was erected around the building, which could disguise the wonder of the world and it remained intact.

Sinking palace

For the construction of the shrine, the builders built a special platform that rose 50 meters above the river level. Today, under the influence of natural factors, the Taj Mahal began to settle. This raises serious concerns. local authorities, because the shrine is covered with cracks and, according to many experts, it may simply collapse soon.

Today, numerous projects are being developed that could stop the destruction of the Taj Mahal, but there is still no consensus on how to preserve the shrine. There is another opinion, some archaeologists argue that there is no serious danger to the preservation of the shrine. According to the results of their research, the building gave insignificant draft and over 70 years of observation, its condition remained satisfactory.

The Taj Mahal and interesting facts about it attract the attention of many tourists. In 2014, it was visited by about 6.5 million people. More than 53 events, circumstances and stories about construction and architecture, about the past and the present day of the monument, are collected and presented for you briefly in this article.

Tamerlane and his loving descendant Jahan

Taj Mahal was built of white marble

On the territory of modern Uzbekistan in the 14th century lived the commander Tamerlane or Timur - the founder of the Timurid empire (modern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq). His descendant, the ruler of the Mughal empire (Timurid state on the territory of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, southeastern Afghanistan) in 1627-1658 - Shah Jahan I, immortalized his name with the construction of the Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal is a mausoleum-mosque located in Agra (India).
In order to convey the beauty of his beloved wife, who died during the 14th birth, with the help of architecture, the padishah exchanged the palace in the center of the capital for land (a little more than a hectare) 7 km from the city on the banks of the sacred river Yamuna (Jamuna).
Soon after the construction of the mausoleum, the son of the padishah began to rule the state, and his father continued to live comfortably in Fort Delhi. After his death, he was buried next to his wife. This fact is presented as overthrowing the father and imprisoning him. The opinion of Indian historians can be found in the publication "Taj Mahal, Tamerlane and Love at First Sight" on the Zen Architecture channel.

6 interesting facts about how the Taj Mahal was built

The works involved 22,000 craftsmen from Central Asia, Persia, and the Middle East. 37 specialists were responsible for the artistic appearance of the complex:
- sculptors from Bukhara
- calligraphers from Syria and Persia;
- inlay masters from South India;
- stonecutters from Baluchistan.
For the supply of building materials, a special 15-kilometer ramp was created, along which 30 bulls dragged blocks of marble in specially designed carts.
More than 1000 elephants brought materials from different parts of Great Mogul.
Water for construction was delivered from the river using a bucket rope system.
The construction of the tomb took about 12 years. A little less was required for the rest of the complex: minarets, a mosque, the Great Gate, a garden. But in terms of time, the complex was built twice as long as the new capital of Mughal (on the territory of present-day Delhi).
The construction site was raised 5 meters above the river level with soil replacement.

26 facts about the architecture of the mausoleum

The central hall of the mausoleum with cenotaphs of the padishah and his wife

Taj Mahal (or Taj) recognized as the best example Mughal architectural style- "the pearl of Muslim architecture in India." It (style) originated from synthesis Indian, Persian and Arabic architectural styles.
Inside there are 2 tombs: the shah and his wife Arjuman Banu Begum that are in the ground under the cenotaphs.
Inspired by the verse of Bibadal Khan, a court jeweler and poet, Shah Jahan conceived the complex as a replica of the house of dear Mumtaz (title of the padishah's wife) in paradise. This is the purpose of most burial architectural structures mughals.
Taj's architecture has a mystical effect: the interaction of decor, geometry, materials, acoustics affects the mind, feelings and spirit of a person. The mausoleum is unique in its combination of simplicity and splendor. Jahan's unlimited generosity, combined with the exquisite work of the finest craftsmen, is mesmerizing. About this in the Illusions and Secrets of the Taj Mahal on the Zen Architecture channel.
The inner hall of the Taj Mahal is shaped like a perfect octagon and surrounded by eight rooms with aisles. This technique creates an aura of solemn serenity.
Its symbolism is multifaceted, from combinations of materials and colors that convey a sense of belonging to the upper classes of society, to plant metaphors that court chroniclers used to praise the virtues of the padishah's personality and his family. For example, in the cenotaph of the padishah is the inkwell, and the wives are the writing surface. These details symbolize that the man writes his desires on the woman's heart.
In the interior of the mausoleum there is a reverberation time (the time it takes to extinguish the echo) - 28 seconds. This is done specifically so that the words of the prayer for the soul of beloved Mumtaz,lingered in the air.
The complex has axial symmetry relative to the Mumtaz Mahal grave. Only the tomb of Shah Jahan himself violates it.
On all sides of the Taj Mahal, there are reservoirs in which, from a certain angle, the building is fully reflected.
White marble from Rajasthan was used during the construction, which in the daytime sun has a dazzling white color, at sunrise - milky white or pink, and at the moon - silvery. In terms of its qualities, this marble is considered the best in the world. Shah Jahan forbade it to be used for the construction of any other facilities.

Taj Mahal in the light of dawn

4 minaret towers are slightly tilted to the side in case of an earthquake. On them, in Arabic script, the sacred verses of the Koran are captured.
Ismail Afandi from Turkey is considered the architect of the most impressive, the main dome. Outside, its height is 44.4 meters, and inside - 24.35 m.
The domes are crowned with gilded figures in the Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of pure gold, but in the 19th century it was replaced by a bronze one.
All decorative elements of the design of the operating minarets are decorated with gilding.
Before the plundering of the mausoleum at the cenotaph Mumtaz one of the flowers was inlaid with 35 different precious stones, including malachite brought from the Urals.
Painted marble grates surround the cenotaphs over the graves.
What we don’t see now are the bowls full of jewels at the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, Persian carpets on the floor, silver doorways and overhanging chandeliers that once made up the interior decor.
The ceiling is decorated with floral patterns andgeometric patterns - floor.
The most impressive type of decor is stone inlay. The flowers are designed down to the smallest detail, and every dot and alphabet of the Holy Quran is carefully engraved, carved and inlaid to perfection.
The dome of the hall is decorated with the shape of the sun inside.
The complex is surrounded on three sides by battlements of red sandstone. The side along the river remained open.
The complex contains additional mausoleums for Jahan's other wives and one for Mumtaz's beloved servant.
The main gate follows the vaulted passageways of the tomb, the arches are decorated with the same decor. They were originally made of silver and called the "Gateway to Paradise".
No craftsmen and designers can reproduce this masterpiece today.

Paradise Tabernacles

The garden around the tomb symbolizes Eden.
The sacred Yamuna was included in the garden design as one of the rivers of Paradise.
The elevated marble pool in the center, Al Qawssar, is the epitome of the heavenly well spoken of in the Qur'an. Wide and shallow channels extend from it in four cardinal directions, dividing the garden into four equal parts.
In its original form, the garden was striking with a variety of vegetation and was planned following the example of the Persian gardens. It contained exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils, lilies, irises, fruit trees and flowering shrubs. But over time, when the empire weakened, the garden fell into disrepair.
Today's landscape design is English style.

Taj Mahal: interesting facts of the present time

Taj Mahal is included in the list of "7 new wonders of the world", which was compiled in 2007 by a vote of more than 100 million people.
Is an object world heritage UNESCO since 1983.
You can enter the tomb only by taking off your shoes or wearing disposable shoe covers.
Previously, one could climb to the top of the minarets to admire the view. But after the cases of suicide of lovers, the entrance to the top was closed.

Taj Mahal interior

Myths and legends

Love at first sight

The prince was walking through the bazaar of Agra (his capital) when he saw a 19-year-old girl. Love for a beauty at first sight won the heart of the young man. Mumtaz Mahal was as wise as she was beautiful.

Portraits of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan

As his main wife, she accompanied her husband on all military campaigns, supported him and gave advice. For 17 years of a happy life, they had 14 children. The last childbirth took place in the field and the 38-year-old woman died. After 6 months, returning to Agra, the padishah decided to build a mausoleum in order to fulfill the last wish of his beloved.

The court chronicles say that Arjuman Banu Begum was the niece of the beloved wife of the father of Prince Hurram (future emperor). At the age of 14, they were betrothed to the prince. On the recommendation of the court astrologers, the wedding took place 5 years later. So, indeed, the girl was 19 years old at that moment.

Arjuman became his third wife. After the wedding, her husband began to call her Mumtaz-Mahal, which means "The Chosen One of the Palace", because in appearance and character, she became the best for him. Subsequently, Shah Jahan took two more wives, but Mumtaz remained his beloved. The history of relations between them was recorded by court chroniclers, which was personally followed by the padishah.

The Mystery of the Black Taj Mahal

Legend has it that Shah Jahan wanted to build another palace on the opposite bank of the river, but this time from black marble. These rumors began to spread after the notes of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. He held the European diamond trade with India in his hands and traveled there five times. After traveling to Agra in 1665 (8 years after the completion of construction), he recorded impressions of the mausoleum, including on the opposite bank of the river. However, his son who overthrew him banned the construction.

The pieces of black marble lying on the opposite bank were quite consistent with this hypothesis. But in the 90s of the twentieth century archaeological excavations found that the pieces of "black" marble were actually blackened white marble. When in 2006 they finished the reconstruction of the Lunar Garden (Agra Park on the opposite bank of the Yamuna), it turned out that the most beautiful view the Taj opens from here. And the second mausoleum is a complete reflection of the palace in the water.

Padishah's generosity

Instead of lightweight scaffolding for work around the structure, permanent brick scaffolding was erected. It took many months to completely remove them. They say to speed up the process, the padishah announced that bricks can be taken home by anyone in unlimited quantities. And since brick at that time was a valuable building material, it took only one day to dismantle the scaffolding.

Saving the Taj Mahal

At the end of the 19th century, during a civil uprising in India, the complex was plundered. British colonists cut precious materials from the walls of the building, took away the gold and silver parts of the buildings. Lord George Nathaniel Curzon, as Viceroy of India, conceived a massive renovation to restore the splendor of the mosque. In 1908, the work was completed. The garden has been redesigned for a British landscape style. In place of the stolen silver gates, copper gates were erected. Gold was replaced with bronze.
During the wars in 1942, 1965, 1971, the government camouflaged the Taj Mahal with scaffolding. Thanks to this, the building has been preserved.
Cracks were recently discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. Experts attribute this to the shallowing of the Yamuna River. This leads to a change in the structure of the soil. It is believed that the mausoleum is sinking and may collapse over time.
The marble began to lose its legendary whiteness. This is explained by air pollution. Therefore, in the city of Agora, where the complex is located, many production facilities were closed, but not all, and the monument itself can only be reached by electric transport or walked up.
Marble has to be cleaned regularly with special clay to maintain its whiteness.
Due to the pollution of the Yamuna, the population of insects has greatly increased, which leave their green-black excrement on the white marble. To do this, it is necessary to stop the discharge of 52 pipes into the river in order to naturally resolve the issue.
The South China Morning Post reported that Indian authorities are going to restrict access to the monument in order to preserve it.

Several Yet interesting facts about Taj Mahal in video

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Great love story: Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

About five million tourists visit the Taj Mahal in India every year. The creation of the greatest structure on Earth is associated with the name of Shah Jahan, the grandson of the great Mughal Akbar.

The name Shah Jahan, which means "ruler of the world", was given to his beloved son Khurram by his father. Even at a young age, the boy was engaged to Mumtaz Mahal, but it so happened that they fell in love with each other. And their love has passed the test of eternity ...

Shah Jahan had a large harem, but there were no other women for him except Mumtaz Mahal. Yes, he had children from other wives, but his feelings for these women could not be compared with his great love for the "chosen one of the palace" - this is how the name Mumtaz-Mahal is translated. The fact that they were very close is recorded in all the palace chronicles, which is unusual for eastern world... After all, Muslims preach different kinds of love: love for God, for the sovereign, for the country - but not romantic.

The lovers' happiness did not last long. An uprising broke out in one of the remote provinces, and Shah Jahan went to suppress it. On all campaigns, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied her husband. But this trip was very difficult for her - she was pregnant. The birth was very difficult, and on June 17, 1631, after the birth of her fourteenth child, she died.

The grief of Shah Jahan cannot be described in words. He did not leave his chambers for 8 days, did not eat anything and did not talk to anyone. During this time, he has grown very old and gray.

History of the creation of the Taj Mahal

According to legend, shortly before her death, Mumtaz Mahal asked her husband to build the most beautiful mausoleum in the world. This was the only thing that Shah Jahan could now do for his beloved ...

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632, six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, and lasted twelve years. A huge amount of money was spent on this project. The Taj Mahal is the most expensive structure ever built. About 32 million rupees were spent on construction, which is currently comparable to billions of euros. For the cladding of the building, the purest marble in the world was used, which was mined in the province of Rajasthan. Shah Jahan banned the use of this marble on other construction sites in the Indian empire.

Due to construction, famine began in the country: part of the grain that was intended for the provinces was sent to the construction site to provide food for the workers.

Construction of the Taj Mahal was completed in 1643. After that, the rule of Shah Jahan continued for quite a long time - until 1658. But it was not successful. The empire found itself in a very difficult economic situation. The son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal deprived his father of power. Shah Jahan spent the rest of his life in the Red Fort, from the window of which he constantly looked at the tomb of a woman who became the love of his life ... The great Mughal ruler was buried next to his beloved wife.

Secrets of building the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal has been striking in its beauty for over three hundred years. It can rightfully be called one of the most grandiose structures in the entire history of mankind. The ideas and solutions that were used in its construction are simply amazing! Especially when you consider that the Taj Mahal is already several centuries old. But it is perfect in its beauty and accuracy. Where is the Taj Mahal and why is it worth visiting?

Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra (about 250 km from Delhi) on the banks of the Jamna River. This place was not the most convenient for the construction of such a structure: the soil is unstable due to the proximity of water. Therefore, a unique technology was used, which is still used now only in a slightly modified form (for example, the use of piles in the construction of skyscrapers in the UAE).

Workers dug deep wells that passed through a layer of groundwater. These wells were filled with stones and mortar. On this foundation, stone columns were erected, connected to each other by arches. The foundation slab of the building was placed on this structure.

Several optical illusions were used in the design of the Taj Mahal. To get to the territory of the Taj Mahal, you need to go through the arch of the entrance gate, through which the visitor sees the building for the first time. As you approach the arch, the Taj Mahal appears to be receding. Conversely, when the visitor leaves, he sees through the arch, as if the structure is approaching. This creates the effect that a person takes the Taj Mahal with him.
It seems that the amazingly beautiful minarets of the Taj Mahal are located strictly vertically. But here, too, it was not without an optical trick! In fact, they are slightly biased to the sides of the building. If they stood strictly upright, it would seem that they are leaning towards the mausoleum. But there is another advantage hidden in the chosen slope. In an earthquake, minarets would have collapsed away from the Taj Mahal without hitting it.
The Taj Mahal combines the best elements of memorials previously built by the Mughal dynasty: minarets, a dome, four corner towers and four portals.
The tomb, which is located under the main dome of the Taj Mahal, is not the actual burial site of the Mumtaz Mahal. Her real tomb is located in a secret marble room under the mausoleum. This was done so that no one would disturb the peace of the “chosen one of the palace”. The Qur'an says that the peace of the deceased should not be disturbed.

Pietra fool

The interior decoration of the Taj Mahal is made using the Pietra Dura technique, which came to India from Italy. Amazing stone flowers made of gems decorate the walls of the halls and other elements of the building. Therefore, the Taj Mahal inside looks like a jewelry box.

Today this art of stone carving can be seen in Indian workshops. And the technology hasn't changed at all over the past few centuries.

Religious symbolism of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal depicts life on earth and the afterlife in accordance with the ideas of Islam. The whole complex is divided into 2 parts. The earthly part consists of bazaars and caravanserais, and the afterlife consists of the Garden of Eden and the mausoleum. The pond and the entrance gate, located between these two parts, symbolize the transition from one world to another.

The color scheme of the Taj Mahal is also very symbolic. The structures of the ground part are made of red sandstone. White is used only for the mausoleum and symbolizes spirituality and faith.

There are eight halls in the mausoleum, which symbolize the eight gates of paradise described in the Qur'an and one central one - the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal is located in it.

What tourists need to know

The entire complex is surrounded by a reliable wall, and at the entrance, visitors are carefully checked for prohibited items: food, lighters, cigarettes, chewing gum, mobile phones. So it's best to leave them at the hotel.

Photo: Wikipedia, Muhammad Mahdi Karim, Vetra,