Taj Mahal mosque in India. Taj Mahal - a symbol of love

Taj Mahal, mausoleum of Sultan Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Architect Ustad Isa. 1630-1652

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum is located in the city of Agra in northern India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was created in a style later called “Mughal”, which combined the traditions of Indian, Persian and Arabic architecture. Actually, the mausoleum was the first building built in the new spirit. The Taj Mahal was built at the behest of Shah Jahan (1592-1666). fifth ruler of the Mughal dynasty, as the burial place of his wife Arjumand and a monument to their love. Arjumand was the daughter of the minister Jangir and is better known by the titles Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen of the Palace) or Taj Mahal (Crown of the Palace).
Initially, the tomb was called Raoza Mumtaz Mahal or Taj Bibiha Raoza, which in Arabic means “tomb of the mistress of my heart.” Only later, during the time of the English colonization of India, the modern name Taj Mahal was assigned to the building.

Architect controversy

After the conquestexploration of India by the British, a number of scientists put forward hypotheses that the truecreatorThe tomb was designed by a European architect. Possibly ItalianGeronimo Veroneo, who worked at the court of Shah Jahan. Or Frenchjeweler AAugustine de Bordeaux, one of the creators of the Golden Throne of the Mughals.Opponentsthey are objected to: in the architecture of the structure and construction techniques there are noeuro tracespei technical achievements of that time, but everything is connectedbetter thanowned Indian, Persian and Arab architecture. Specificwaysstone treatments used in construction were known onlyeasternmasters. And domes like the dome of the Taj Mahal were erected in thatperiod lin Samarkand and Bukhara.

LOVE IN STONE
Shah Jahan's beloved wife died in childbirth in 1631 at the age of 38. The saddened emperor decided to perpetuate her memory in a previously unseen tomb. The ruler of one of the most powerful and richest countries of that time took full advantage of the opportunities
of his position. He sent messengers to all the architectural centers of the Islamic world: Istanbul, Baghdad, Samarkand, Damascus and Shiraz, convening the most famous architects of the East. At the same time, drawings and plans of all the famous buildings in Asia were brought to his order in Agra. The ruler wanted to erect a building, the equal or even the like of which did not exist in the world.

Many projects were considered. Perhaps this was the first architectural competition in history. As a result, Shah Jahan settled on the version of the young Shiraz architect Ustad Isa.
Then the actual preparation for construction began. Masons from Delhi and Kandahar, considered the best in India, came to Agra. Artists and calligraphers were hired in Persia and Baghdad, decoration was carried out by Bukharians and Delhiites, and skilled gardeners from Bengal were invited to create the landscape ensemble. The management of the work was entrusted to Ustad Isa, and his closest assistants were the prominent Turkish architect Hanrumi and the Samarkand resident Sharif, who created the magnificent domes of the mausoleum. Thus, the Mumtaz Mahal mausoleum combined all the best that the architecture and decorative arts of the East had achieved at that time.

TAJ MAHAL MUSEUM

In addition to the actual architectural complex of the mausoleum, on the territory of the Taj Mahal there is also a museum exhibition dedicated to the history of the Mughal dynasty. It presents a unique numismatic collection, art and everyday objects of the 16th-17th centuries. Along the walls of the museum there are gardens in the famous Mughal style - copies of the garden surrounding the mausoleum.

Ustad Isa took late Indian architecture as a basis, in particular the Humayun Mausoleum - the burial place of the first Mughals and members of their families. But at the same time he made considerable changes, abandoning, for example, his predilection for numerous columns (there are none at all in the Taj Mahal). According to court historian Abdul Hamid Lahori. construction began six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal and lasted 12 years. In 1643, the central building of the tomb was completed.

Construction was completely completed in 1648, but, apparently,
After this, finishing continued for several more years. In total, construction and finishing took 22 years. More than 20 thousand people simultaneously participated in the work, for whom a special town of Mumtazabad was built near Agra.
The main material was white marble, delivered on elephants from the quarries of Johapur - more than three hundred kilometers away. Inlays with precious and semi-precious stones were widely used in decoration. There were Hindu Kush lapis lazuli, Chinese jade of all colors, Deccan moonstone, Persian amethysts and turquoise, Tibetan carnelian, and malachite imported from Russia. According to legend, “much more gold and silver than an elephant could carry away” was used for the inlays. Red sandstone and black marble were used for the main lines in the ornaments.
In order to raise materials to a greater height for the construction of the main dome, according to the design of the Turkish engineer Ismail Khan, a sloping earthen embankment 3.5 km long and almost 50 m high was built. On it, elephants could deliver marble blocks to the work site without interference. When Shah Jahan saw the completed mausoleum, he cried with admiration.

Despite its enormous size, the mausoleum looks weightless. In many ways, this effect is achieved thanks to the four minarets, which have a carefully planned deviation from the vertical axis. This was supposed to save the tomb from destruction by debris from the minarets in the event of an earthquake.

Soon, Shah Jahan wanted to build a similar mausoleum next to the Taj Mahal, but in black color - for himself.
However, this was not destined to come true. The emperor fell ill, and a war broke out in the country between his sons. Thanks to the support of the Muslim clergy, the younger one, the Islamic fanatic Aurangzeb, won, executing all his brothers and not even sparing his own father.
Shah Jahan spent the rest of his life in the casemate of the famous Red Fort of Agra, built by his great-grandfather Akbar, the founder of the dynasty. From there he had a view of the Taj Mahal - the last consolation of the captive. According to the chronicler Abdul Hamid Lahori, feeling the approach of death, the prisoner asked his jailers to bring him to the window and, looking at the tomb of his beloved wife, “sank into a deep, eternal sleep.” According to the will, he was buried next to Arjumand.

The proportions of the Taj Mahal were so perfect that even a legend was born that during its creation they resorted to magic and the help of otherworldly forces. Another legend says that at the end of the work, the architects' eyes were gouged out, and the craftsmen's hands were cut off so that they could not create anything like that again. Of course, this is a myth. On the contrary, both the architects and builders were generously rewarded, and in addition, their work was well paid throughout the construction of the mausoleum. Which, by the way, gave Shah Jahan’s enemies reason to claim that the construction of the Taj Mahal ruined the treasury of the empire. But this is not true either: at that moment the Mughal power was very rich and occupied almost the entire Hindustan. Simultaneously with the construction of the tomb, extensive irrigation work was carried out in Punjab and successful wars were waged with its neighbors.

BEAUTY AND TIME
Time and people have not been kind to the monument. Aurangzeb was the first to destroy it, seizing the golden lattice that surrounded the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal. Condemning his father for senseless waste, he himself built a semblance of the Taj Mahal south of Agra - for himself and his eldest wife. But the copy turned out to be very unsuccessful and almost unknown to the general public.
After Aurangzeb, the mausoleum was looted under Nadir Shah in 1739. Then the silver doors of the main hall were taken away, later replaced by bronze ones that still exist today. When the British army occupied Agra in 1803, the soldiers took about 200 kg of gold from the Taj Mahal and picked out many precious stones from its walls. Most of these treasures went to the East India Company.
Only at the end of the 19th century. By order of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, the monument was taken under protection. Since then, his safety has been the concern of the Indian authorities - first the colonial ones, and after the declaration of independence - the national government. The leadership of the Department of Archaeological Surveys of India even achieved a ruling from the Supreme Court of the country to impose a ban on industrial activities in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal. Airplane flights are prohibited over the mausoleum so that vibration from the engines does not damage the unique monument.
Unfortunately, the normal functioning of the museum has been hampered by politics for several years now. Due to the intensification of terrorist organizations in India, the protection of the Taj Mahal had to be entrusted to the armed forces and intelligence services. The central pavilion of the mausoleum was closed to visitors back in 1984, after a clash between guards and militants occurred there. Since then, the Indian government has feared a repeat attack and has closely monitored the surrounding area. Ironically, the terrorist attacks against the Taj Mahal, built by one of India's greatest Muslim rulers, were planned and carried out by Islamic radicals.
Recently, the mausoleum has also been threatened by the forces of nature. Due to soil subsidence, changes in the hydrological regime and several earthquakes, the foundations of the minarets shifted, and only urgently taken measures to strengthen the soil saved the architectural miracle from destruction.

Mosaic panels on the walls of the Taj Mahal.
Inside, the walls of the Taj Mahal are decorated with mosaic images of fabulous trees and flowers. The thoughtful arrangement of windows makes the mausoleum literally transparent to sunlight and moonlight, and it requires almost no artificial lighting. In the center of the main hall there is an octagonal burial chamber topped with a low dome. Here, behind an openwork stone fence inlaid with precious stones, there are false tombs - cenotaphs. The real sarcophagi of Empress Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are located in the dungeon exactly under the cenotaphs. These tombs are covered with fantastic floral designs made of semi-precious stones.

The Taj Mahal is the pearl of world architecture. It is recognized as one of the most beautiful structures on Earth, and its silhouette is considered the unofficial symbol of India. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of sites under the protection of UNESCO.

IDEAL PROPORTIONS
In terms of plan, the Taj Mahal is somewhat similar to a classic Islamic religious building. In addition to the mausoleum itself, the complex of buildings includes a mosque and a covered gallery made of red sandstone, an arched gate, as well as an extensive garden with fountains and pools, laid out so that the tomb is clearly visible from all sides.
The mausoleum was erected on a vast platform of red sandstone, seven meters high, on which, in turn, a three-meter high Luzhe was built on it and the Taj Mahal itself rests. This absolutely symmetrical octagonal building, 57 meters high, is topped with a 24-meter dome, shaped like a lotus bud. The facades are decorated with pointed arches and niches, creating a subtle play of light and shadow.
The mausoleum is especially beautiful against the backdrop of the blue sky, and all this splendor is reflected in the rectangular pool located directly in front of the building. This is the first such experience in the world. In Europe, two years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, French architect André Le Nôtre used a body of water designed to reflect the façade of the palace.
White marble in combination with a carefully selected shade of the dome tiles - to match the color of the sky - creates the impression of incredible lightness of the monumental ensemble. The beauty of the Taj Mahal is emphasized by the play of light, especially in the evening twilight, when the marble is painted in various shades of purple, pink, and golden colors. Early in the morning the building looks like it is woven from lace. seems to be floating in the air.

The Taj Mahal is a world heritage masterpiece and one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, located in the city of Agra near the Jamna River in India. The mosque was built in the 17th century by order of Shah Jahan, the padishah of the Mughal Empire, who dedicated the construction of the Taj Mahal to his wife Mumtaz Mahal (later the Indian Shah himself was buried here).

The history of the creation of the Taj Mahal mausoleum in India

The creation of the Taj Mahal is associated with the legend of the love of the padishah Shah Jahan and the girl Mumtaz Mahal, who traded at the local market. The Indian ruler was so fascinated by her beauty that they soon got married. The happy marriage produced 14 children, but during the birth of the last child, Mumtaz Mahal died. Shah Jahan was depressed by the death of his beloved wife and in her memory ordered the construction of a mausoleum, which is nowhere more beautiful.

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and was completed in 1653. About 20 thousand craftsmen and workers from all over the empire were involved in the construction. A group of architects worked on the mosque, but the main idea belongs to Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, there is also a version that the main author of the project is the Persian architect Ustad Isa (Isa Muhammad Effendi).

Construction of the tomb and platform took approximately 12 years. Over the next ten years, minarets, a mosque, a jawab and a Great Gate were erected.

Tombs of the Padishah Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal

Taj Mahal - wonder of the world: mosque architecture

The Taj Mahal Palace is a five-domed structure with 4 minarets at the corners. Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the Shah and his wife.

The mosque was built on a platform; the strength of the foundation is due to the fact that the level of the platform was raised 50 meters above the level of the bank of the Jamna River. The total height of the Taj Mahal is 74 meters. In front of the building there is a three-hundred-meter garden with fountains and a marble pool; at a certain angle, the entire structure is symmetrically reflected in its waters.

The most notable component of the Indian Taj Mahal is the white marble dome. The walls are also lined with polished translucent marble with elements of precious stones and semi-precious stones (pearls, sapphires, turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian and others). The Taj Mahal Mosque is designed in accordance with the Islamic religious tradition, the interior is decorated with abstract symbols and lines from the Koran.

The Taj Mahal is considered the jewel of Muslim art in the country of India and the best example of Mughal style architecture, which combines Indian, Persian and Arabic elements.

• Since 2007, the Indian Taj Mahal has been included in the list of New 7 Wonders of the World.
• What is the Taj Mahal? This name is translated from Persian as “The Greatest Palace” (“Taj” - crown, “Mahal” - palace).
• Many valuable interior items of the Taj Mahal were stolen - precious stones, gems, the crown of the main dome - a golden spire and even the entrance doors made of silver.
• Thanks to the peculiarity of marble, at different times of the day and depending on the weather, the Taj Mahal mosque is able to change color: during the day the building looks white, at dawn pink, and on a moonlit night - silver.
• Tens of thousands of people visit the Taj Mahal every day; per year - from 3 to 5 million people. Peak season is October, November and February.
• The Taj Mahal has been depicted in many films, the most popular of which are: “Armageddon”, “Mars Attacks!”, “Until I Play the Box”, “Life After People”, “The Last Dance”, “Slumdog Millionaire”.
• Airplanes are prohibited from flying over the Taj Mahal.

How to visit: price, tickets, opening hours

Entry fee*: for foreigners - 1000 INR**, for Indian citizens - 530 INR.**

*The ticket includes a visit to the Taj Mahal, the ancient fort (Agra Fort) and the Baby Taj - the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daula.
**INR - Indian Rupee (1000 INR = 15.32 $)
** Prices are as of October 2017

Opening hours:

• Daytime: 6:00 - 19:00 (weekdays, except Fridays - the day of prayers in the mosque).
• Evening time: 20:30 - 00:30 (2 days before and 2 days after the full moon, except Fridays and the month of Ramadan).

Visiting rules: Only small handbags, mobile phones, cameras, small video cameras, and water in transparent bottles are allowed into the Taj Mahal.

How to get to the Taj Mahal Temple

Address where Taj Mahal is located: India, Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Tejginj district, Forest Colony, Dharmaperi.

If you are vacationing in Goa and want to go to the Taj Mahal, then there are no direct flights from Goa Airport to Agra. You can fly to Delhi, and from there there are daily flights to the city of Agra. The distance between Goa and Agra is approximately 2000 km.

From Delhi to Agra on your own: by plane - 3-4 hours travel; by bus - $15-20 (3 hours travel); by morning train 12002 Bhopal Shatabdi - $5-10 (2-3 hours travel).

The easiest way: book an excursion or organize an individual tour to Agra with a visit to the Taj Mahal. The most popular: Goa-Agra tour, Delhi-Agra tour.

To be closer to a popular attraction or see the Taj Mahal from the rooftops of hotels and guesthouses, book hotels in Agra using the convenient Planet of Hotels service.

2.5 km from the Taj Mahal is the second most popular attraction of the city - Agra Fort. This way you can see two architectural masterpieces in one day.

Taj Mahal on the map of Agra

The Taj Mahal is a world heritage masterpiece and one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, located in the city of Agra near the Jamna River in India. The mosque was built in the 17th century by order of Shah Jahan, the padishah of the Mughal Empire, who dedicated the construction of the Taj Mahal to his wife Mumtaz Mahal (later the Indian Shah himself was buried here).

The Taj Mahal was built in India in the city of Agra. This mausoleum-mosque is located on the banks of the Jamna River, the longest tributary of the Ganges. Taj Mahal recognized one of the 7 wonders of the world, which seriously distinguishes it from the general background of attractions on our planet. In 1983, the architectural monument was recognized as one of the objects under UNESCO protection. Many people go to India precisely to see the mausoleum, because it is known even to people who are far from architecture.

Taj Mahal: a love story

The Taj Mahal is called a monument to eternal love. And here's why. The mosque was built by order of the ruler Shah Jahan, who wished perpetuate the image of your wife, whose name was Mumtaz Mahal (short name - Taj Mahal, translated meaning “Pride of the Palace”). She died giving birth to her 14th child, which plunged the padishah into such grief that he decided to give up the throne. A more prosaic version indicates that Shah Jahan was simply overthrown, but this is not so important, because the value of the creation erected on his orders is not diminished by this.

There is another legend of the Taj Mahal that this architectural monument was supposed to have "double", just not white, but black. Excavations did not confirm this assumption. The dark marble found was actually white. Its color has simply changed over time. Most likely, a second similar mausoleum was planned, because the ruler loved symmetry. The padishah did not have time to do this, since his son overthrew him. They say that Until the end of his days, Shah Jahan admired the mosque from prison.

That is why in the Taj Mahal there are not one, but two graves - the inconsolable ruler and his beloved. By the way, their bodies were not buried in tombs, but strictly under them, underground.

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Who built the Taj Mahal?

Construction of the mausoleum began in 1632. Participated in this process more than 22,000 craftsmen, who were collected from all over the empire. Won the competition for the best project Usto Isa Khan Effendi. It was his sketches that formed the basis of the Taj Mahal. There are legends about the future fate of the builders. In particular, there is a legend that says that they were all executed upon completion of the work.

The site on which it is built used to belong to the Maharaja of Jai Sigh. The padishah liked the land so much that he exchanged it with his subject for a palace in the middle of Agra. The ground was completely dug up. The level of the site on which the mosque was built was raised by 50 meters. The foundation was created in a special way so that the Taj Mahal had a truly reliable foundation. The platform on which the building stands is made of marble blocks. Its area is 29 m2.

The construction of the Taj Mahal was accompanied by the use of innovative construction techniques, which makes this architectural monument even more significant. An example is a scaffold made of bricks (usually bamboo was used as a material for this structure).

It took more than 20 years to create the masterpiece mausoleum. Construction was carried out in stages. First there were tombs and a platform, and then - minarets, a mosque, etc. More than 1000 elephants were used to transport materials.

Our days

Every day the Taj Mahal is visited by many thousands of tourists. It is not only a heritage of world culture, but also symbol of India. People from all over the world come to the city with the Taj Mahal mausoleum.

Despite the careful attitude, a serious problem has recently emerged. Cracks were found on the walls of the building. This is explained by the fact that the river flowing nearby becomes shallower. This leads to a change in the soil structure. Taj Mahal settles, which leads to the formation of unpleasant cracks.

In addition, his white marble turns yellow over the years. The reason is too dirty air. Even the ban on cars near the mausoleum and the ever-expanding park area do not help. Because of this he periodically cleaned with white clay.

On Fridays, the palace exposition is closed for viewing, as on this day Muslims pray in the Taj Mahal mosque.

Photo gallery

The girl that the Indian Prince Jahan once saw in the market was so beautiful that he immediately brought her to the palace, making her his beloved wife: Mumtaz Mahal managed to captivate her husband so much that he did not look at other women until her death. At the same time, she did not sit at home, she always accompanied him on military campaigns and was the only person in the world whom he trusted and with whom he often consulted.

This gives grounds to assert that the story that Mumtaz was of plebeian origin is a myth far from reality. In fact, she had a noble origin, was the daughter of a vizier and was a distant relative of Jahan’s mother, and therefore received an extremely good education (otherwise the young woman would hardly have been able to give constructive advice).

They lived together for about seventeen years, during which time Mumtaz gave birth to fourteen children to her husband, and died during the birth of the last child. First, she was buried in the city in which she died, in Burhan Noor, and six months later her remains were transported to one of the most prosperous cities in India, Agra. It was here that the inconsolable widower decided to build a tomb for his wife, which was supposed to be worthy of Mumtaz in beauty and would tell descendants a story of incredible love by its very appearance.

It was decided almost immediately in which city to build the Taj Mahal mausoleum (“taj” means “crown”, “mahal” means “palace”): the suburb of Agra, one of the most beautiful and developed cities in India, located on the banks of the river, was best suited for this way. To be able to build a mosque on the chosen territory, Shah Jahan had to exchange this site for a palace located in the center of Agra.

He did not have to regret this: this area near the city was not only extremely beautiful and picturesque, but also turned out to be seismically resistant - in the years following the completion of construction work, earthquakes failed to cause serious damage to the structure.

The main building was designed by Turkish architect Ismail Afandi from the Ottoman Empire, and his compatriot Usatad Isa is considered the creator of the architectural image of the monument - it was their designs that Jahan liked most. The choice of the ruler turned out to be successful: the erected Taj Mahal (Agra) turned out to be one of the most outstanding monuments in the world, successfully combining the styles of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles, and was recently recognized as one of the wonders of the world.

Construction of the tomb

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and construction lasted twenty-one years (the tomb was completed ten years earlier). To build this unique complex, more than 20 thousand workers from all over India, as well as architects, artists, and sculptors from nearby countries, were involved in the construction work.

An area near the city (Agra) measuring 1.2 hectares was dug up, after which, in order to reduce the flowability of the soil, the soil was replaced. The level of the site planned for the construction of the mosque was raised 50 meters above the shore level. After this, the workers dug wells and filled them with rubble stone, thus obtaining a foundation, which was also supposed to act as a kind of cushion during earthquakes and would prevent the complex from collapsing.

Interesting fact: instead of bamboo scaffolding, the architects decided to use brick scaffolding: it was easier to work with heavy marble. The stone scaffolding looked so impressive that the architects were afraid that it would take several years to dismantle it. Jahan found a way out of the situation by announcing that any resident of Agra could take the required number of bricks - and the scaffolding was dismantled in a few days.

To deliver building materials to the mosque, the Hindus built a gently sloping earthen platform along which oxen dragged luggage located on specially designed carts. They were delivered to the city from all over India (and not only). The most important building material, white marble, was brought to the city from Makrana and Rajasthan, which were located 300 km from Agra.

The marble blocks were raised to the required height using special devices. The water needed for construction work was first extracted from the river, after which it was poured into a reservoir, from where it rose into a special reservoir and was sent through pipes to the construction site.

Architectural complex

All buildings of the Taj Mahal, Agra architectural complex were extremely carefully planned from a geometric point of view. The central building of the complex is a mausoleum that tells the story of the love story of the ruling couple of India. This wonder of the world is surrounded on three sides by jagged walls built from red sandstone, thus leaving it open for viewing only from the river side.

The Taj Mahal tomb, Agra, is surrounded by several more tombs in which other wives of the ruler were buried (they were also built from red sandstone, which was often used in the construction of crypts of that time). Not far from the main mausoleum is the Music House (now there is a museum there).

The main gate, like the main building, is made of marble, the entrance is decorated with an openwork white portico, on top there is an eleventh dome, on the sides there are two towers with white domes. On both sides of the central tomb, two large structures were built from red sandstone: the building on the left was used by the residents of Agra as a mosque, and the building on the right served as a boarding house. They were built for balance - so that during an earthquake nothing would collapse.

In front of the mausoleum there is a luxurious park, the length of which is 300 meters. In the middle of the park, there is an irrigation canal lined with marble, in the center of which a pool was built, in which the mausoleum is completely reflected (paths lead from it to the four minarets).

According to descriptions of eyewitnesses, in former times Agra and its park amazed with the abundance of vegetation: roses, daffodils, and a huge number of garden trees grew here. After India came under the British Empire, its appearance changed significantly - and it began to resemble an ordinary English lawn.

What does the tomb look like?

The main structure of this architectural complex, located in the city of Agra, is the Taj Mahal mausoleum, built of white marble. It is best viewed from the river, since there is no wall on this side.

It looks especially gorgeous at dawn: the tomb is reflected in the water, creating the illusion of unreality and, if you look at it from the opposite bank, you get the impression that this miracle is floating in the pre-dawn fog, and the rays that appear create an amazing play of colors on the walls.

Such airiness and a feeling of “floating” are given to the mausoleum primarily by unusual proportions, when the height of the building has the same dimensions as its width, as well as a huge dome, which seems to carry with it the smaller elements of the structure - four small domes and minarets.

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum, Agra tells the world the beautiful love story between Jahan and Mumtaz Maha and is of incredible beauty. The height and width of the mausoleum is 74 meters. The facade of the tomb is square in shape, with semicircular niches built into it, giving the massive building a weightless appearance. The mausoleum is crowned by a 35-meter-high marble dome, shaped like an onion.

The top of the dome is decorated with a month, the horns of which are directed upward (until the 19th century it was gold, and then it was replaced by an exact copy made of bronze).

At the corners of the tomb, emphasizing the shape of the main dome, there are four smaller vaults, completely repeating its shape. At the corners of the mausoleum, at a slight inclination in the direction opposite to the tomb, there are four gilded towers (minarets) about 50 m high (the inclination was provided at the early stage of construction work so that if they fell, they could not damage the main structure).

The walls of the Taj Mahal (Agra) are painted with a fine pattern and built of white marble with gems inserted into it (28 types of precious stones in total). Especially many decorative elements can be seen on pedestals, gates, mosques, as well as at the bottom of the mausoleum.

Thanks to the unique marble, the mausoleum looks different throughout the day: during the day the tomb is white, at dawn it is pink, and on a moonlit night it becomes silver. Previously, the entrance doors were made of pure silver, but later, like many other valuable decorative elements, they were stolen (by whom - history is silent).

Inside view

The inside of the Taj Mahal (city of Agra) looks no less remarkable than the outside. The entrance to the mausoleum is decorated with a gallery with elegant columns. The hall inside the tomb is an octagon, which can be entered from any side of the tomb (now this can only be done from the park). Inside the hall, behind a marble screen, there are two sarcophagi made of white marble, which in reality are false tombs, since the graves themselves are located under the floor.

On the lid of the sarcophagus of the ruler's wife there are inscriptions praising her. The only asymmetrical element in the entire complex is Jahan’s sarcophagus, which was installed after his death: the ruler’s coffin is slightly larger than his wife’s coffin. The height of the walls inside the building is 25 m, and the ceiling decorated with the sun is made in the form of an internal dome.

The entire space inside the hall is divided by eight arches, above which you can read quotes from the Koran. The four middle arches form balconies with windows through which light enters the hall (besides these windows, the sun's rays enter the room through special openings in the roof). You can climb to the second floor of the mausoleum via one of two side staircases. The walls inside the tomb are everywhere decorated with mosaics made of gems, which form various symbols, plants, flowers, letters.

Death of Jahan

After the completion of the construction of the Taj Mahal, Agra, the ruler’s son, Aurangzeb, overthrew his father from the throne and put him in prison, in which the former ruler spent several years (according to one legend, its windows overlooked the tomb of his beloved wife, which he had built).

After Jahan's death, the son fulfilled his father's will and buried him next to his wife. This is how the love story ended, imprinting its memory for centuries in a unique building that still stands today.

Taj Mahal built on the banks of the Jamna River, two kilometers from the city of Agra, which from 1526 to 1707 (along with Delhi) was the capital of the Mughal Empire. This mausoleum monument tells the story of the tender love of a ruler from the Mughal dynasty for his wife, the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal (nee Arjumanad Banu Begam), the niece of a strong and influential courtier at the court of the Indian ruler.

The name Arjumanad Banu Begam is surrounded by legends and secrets. In 1612, at the age of nineteen, she married Prince Khurram, who later became Padishah Shah Jahan. During the wedding ceremony, the groom's father, the formidable Jangir, named his daughter-in-law and his wife's niece “The Decoration of the Palace” (Mumtaz Mahal).

The young couple loved each other dearly. The French doctor, philosopher and traveler Francois Bernier, who lived in India for twelve years, noted in his notes that Shah Jahan was so in love with his young wife that he “did not pay attention to other women while she was alive.” But he, like any eastern ruler, had a harem - and a large one.

In 1629, a year after ascending the throne, Shah Jahan and his army left Agra and headed south to punish the governor of the rebellious Deccan. The uprising was suppressed, the governor was removed, but Shah Jahan returned to Agra alone. Mumtaz Mahal, who was never separated from her husband, died in his arms during this campaign, giving birth to his fourteenth child. His grief was so great that he wanted to commit suicide.

Mumtaz was first buried in the city of Burhanpur (the territory of the present state of Madhya Pradesh), since Shah Jahan's army had set up camp there. And only six months later the coffin with her body was transported to Agra, where a mausoleum was subsequently erected over her grave, which (according to Shah Jahan’s plan) was supposed to become a symbol of the beauty of his deceased wife.

The construction of the five-domed mausoleum building, surpassing in size and luxury all others that were then in India, lasted more than twenty years (from approximately 1630 to 1652). The height of the Taj Mahal together with the dome reaches 74 meters. At the base of the monument lies a square platform with sides measuring more than 95 meters. Four minarets rise at the corners of the mausoleum.

The walls of the Taj Mahal are lined with polished marble, and in some places the outside is complemented with red sandstone. The windows and arches have openwork grilles, the vaulted passages are decorated with Arabic script, which transferred 14 of the 114 suras of the Koran onto stone.

Up to 20,000 people took part in the construction of this grandiose structure. The name of the architect who embodied Shah Jahan's plan is unknown. Some attribute the creation of this monument of world art to European architects. However, a study of the architectural features of the Taj Mahal allows us to conclude that it embodied the best features of the medieval architecture of Iran and Central Asia, along with the monumental art of ancient India.

But other scientists name different but very specific individuals as the author of this masterpiece. However, the most widely held belief is that the best architects of India and other Eastern countries, led by the Agricultural architect Ustad-Isa, took part in the development of the Taj Mahal project. It is possible that one of the authors was Shah Jahan himself, who had extraordinary artistic taste.

Around the Taj Mahal in Agra, Shah Jahan planted a magnificent garden, built on the Char Bagh principle: on a piece of land divided into four parts. In the center there is a marble pond. Unlike other structures, which are usually placed in the center of the garden, the Taj Mahal is located at the beginning. Cypress trees are planted along the irrigation canal with fountains, the outlines of their crowns are in harmony with the domes of the four minarets.

Opposite the Taj Mahal, on the other side of the Jumna, Shah Jahan thought of building another tomb - for himself. According to the plan, his mausoleum was supposed to reproduce the forms of the Taj Mahal, but would be made not of white, but of black marble. Both mausoleums were supposed to be connected by a bridge. However, Shah Jahan's plans and plans did not come true.

When Shah Jahan fell seriously ill, the question arose which of his sons would take his throne. The eldest son, Dara-shikol, was like-minded with his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He wanted unity of the country, peace with the Hindus, alliance with the Rajput and Maratha Rajas. Muslim mullahs and nobles stood behind their second son, Aurangzeb, a cruel and gloomy Muslim fanatic.

Aurangzeb defeated his brother and entered Agra with troops. Here he learned that his father had recovered safely and was not going to vacate the throne. But power, once in hand, is not easy to give up voluntarily. How long will father live? And Aurangzeb ordered his father to be arrested and imprisoned in a fortress. From the heavy stone frame of the window, only the light, cloud-white mausoleum of his long-dead wife was visible.

Seriously ill, removed from power, Shah Jahan spent hours looking from the Agra fortress at the Taj Mahal, where Mumtaz Mahal, whom he loved so much, rested. And after his death, he was buried in the same tomb, in the same crypt with Mumtaz Mahal. Now, right above the crypt, in the central hall, decorated with ornaments of gold and silver, there are two stone slabs: one over the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the other over the tomb of Shah Jahan.

There are many legends about the Taj Mahal. And many young men, suffering from unrequited love, climbed the minarets and threw themselves down with the belief that in the next world they would achieve the favor of their beloved. Then the entrances to the minarets were closed to cool off the lovers sacrificing their lives in the hope of finding love.

The Taj Mahal in Agra has become one of the most famous monuments of world architecture and included in. Marble walls, agates and diamonds interspersed in the curls of the ornament, the skyward dome of the tomb, reflected in the waters of the Jumna during the day and shimmering at night in the light of the moon - this is the Taj Mahal, sung by hundreds of poets.