Taj Mahal view from above. Taj Mahal - the "pearl" of India

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 monument-mausoleum tells about the tender love of the ruler of 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 of 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, called his daughter-in-law and his wife's niece - "Palace Decoration" (Mumtaz Mahal).

The young couple loved each other dearly. The French physician, 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 big one.

In 1629, a year after his accession to the throne, Shah Jahan left Agra with an army and headed south to punish the governor of the rebellious Deccan. The uprising was crushed, the governor was removed, but Shah Jahan returned alone to Agra. 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.

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

The construction of the five-domed building of the mausoleum, surpassing in size and luxury all the others that were then in India, lasted more than twenty years (from about 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 over 95 meters. Four minarets rise in the corners of the mausoleum.

The walls of the Taj Mahal are lined with polished marble, outside in some places supplemented with red sandstone. There are openwork lattices in the windows and arches, vaulted passages are decorated with Arabic script, which transferred 14 out of 114 suras of the Koran to the stone.

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

But other scientists call different, but quite specific persons the author of this masterpiece. However, it is most widely believed that the best architects of India and other countries of the East, led by the Agra 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 an outstanding artistic taste.

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

Opposite the Taj Mahal, on the other side of the Jamna, 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 have been made not of white, but of black marble. Both mausoleums were to be connected by a bridge. However, the plans and intentions of Shah Jahan did not materialize.

When Shah Jahan fell seriously ill, the question arose of which of his sons should take his throne. The eldest son, Dara-shikol, was like-minded of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He wanted the unity of the country, peace with the Hindus, an alliance with the Rajput and Maratha Rajas. Muslim mullahs and nobles stood by the wall for the 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 the hands, is not easy to give away voluntarily. How long will the 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 white mausoleum of his long-dead wife was visible, as light as a cloud.

Seriously ill, removed from power, Shah Jahan spent hours looking from the Agra fortress to 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 is over the grave of Mumtaz Mahal, the other is over the grave of Shah Jahan.

There are many legends about the Taj Mahal. And many young men, suffering from unrequited love, climbed the minarets and rushed down with the belief that in the next world they would achieve the location of their beloved. Then the entrances to the minarets were closed to cool the lovers who sacrifice 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 is included in. Marble walls, agates and diamonds interspersed in the curls of the ornament, the soaring dome of the tomb, reflected in the waters of Jamna during the day and shimmering in the moonlight at night - such is the Taj Mahal, sung by hundreds of poets.

Taj Mahal and Interesting Facts it attracts the attention of many tourists. In 2014, about 6.5 million people visited it. More than 53 events, circumstances and stories about the construction and architecture, about the past and present day of the monument are collected and summarized for you in this article.

Tamerlane and his descendant Jahan in love

The Taj Mahal was built from white marble

1. 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 (the Timurid state on the territory of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, southeastern Afghanistan) in 1627-1658 - padishah Shah Jahan I, immortalized his name with the construction of the Taj Mahal.
2. Taj Mahal is a mausoleum-mosque located in Agra (India).
3. 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).
4. 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 the Delhi fort. After his death, he was buried next to his wife. This fact is presented as the overthrow of the father and his imprisonment. The opinion of Indian historians can be found in the publication "Taj Mahal, Tamerlane and love at first sight" on the channel Zen Architecture.

6 interesting facts about how the Taj Mahal was built

1. 22,000 craftsmen from Central Asia, Persia, and the Middle East were involved in the work. 37 specialists were responsible for the artistic appearance of the complex:
   • sculptors from Bukhara
   • calligraphers from Syria and Persia;
   • inlay craftsmen from South India;
   • stonemasons from Balochistan.
2. For the transport of building materials, a special 15-kilometer ramp was created, along which 30 bulls dragged blocks of marble in specially designed carts.
3. More than 1000 elephants brought materials from different parts of the Great Mogolia.
4. Water for construction was delivered from the river using a rope-bucket system.
5. The construction of the tomb took about 12 years. A little less was required for the rest of the complex: the minarets, the mosque, the Great Gate, the garden. But in terms of time, the complex was built twice as long as new capital Mogolia (on the territory of present-day Delhi).
6. The construction site was raised 5o meters above the river level with soil replacement.

26 facts about the architecture of the mausoleum

Central hall of the mausoleum with cenotaphs of the king and his wife

1. Taj Mahal (or Taj) is recognized as the best example Mughal architectural style - "the pearl of Muslim architecture in India." He (style) arose on the synthesis Indian, Persian and Arabic architectural styles.
2. Inside there are 2 tombs: the shah and his wife Arjuman Banu Begum, which are in the ground under the cenotaphs.
3. Inspired by a poem by Bibadal Khan, the court jeweler and poet, Shah Jahan conceived the complex as a replica of the home of dear Mumtaz (the title of the padishah's wife) in paradise. This is the purpose of most funeral architectural structures Mughals.
4. Taj 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 magnificence. Jahan's boundless generosity, combined with the exquisite work of the finest craftsmen, is mesmerizing. About this in Illusions and secrets of the Taj Mahal on Zen Architecture channel.
5. The inner hall of the Taj Mahal has the shape of a perfect octagon and surrounded by eight rooms with passages. This technique creates an aura of solemn serenity.
6. Its symbolism is multifaceted, from combinations of materials and colors that communicate belonging to the upper classes of society, to metaphors of plants that court chroniclers used to praise the virtues of the personality of the padishah and his family. For example, in the cenotaph of the padishah is an inkwell, and the wives are a surface for writing. These details symbolize that a man writes his desires on a woman's heart.
7. The interior of the mausoleum has a reverberation time (the time it takes to extinguish the echo) - 28 seconds. This was done specifically so that the words of the prayer for the soul of the beloved Mumtaz,lingered in the air.
8. The complex has axial symmetry with respect to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Only the tomb of Shah Jahan himself violates it.
9. On all sides of the Taj Mahal there are reservoirs in which, at a certain angle, the building is completely reflected.
10. During the construction, white marble from Rajasthan was used, which has a dazzling white color in the daytime sun, milky white or pink at sunrise, and silvery in the moonlight. According to its qualities, this marble is considered the best in the world. Shah Jahan forbade using it for the construction of any other objects.

Taj Mahal in the morning light

11. 4 minaret towers are slightly tilted to the side in case of an earthquake. The sacred verses of the Koran are imprinted on them in Arabic script.
12. The architect of the most impressive main dome is Ismail Afandi from Turkey. Outside, its height is 44.4 meters, and inside - 24.35 m.
13. 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 with bronze.
14. All decorative design elements of the existing minarets are gilded.
15. Before the looting of the mausoleum on the cenotaph Mumtaz one of the flowers was encrusted with 35 different gems., including malachite brought from the Urals.
16. Skillfully made marble lattices surround the cenotaphs above the graves.
17. What we don't see now are bowls full of jewels on the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, Persian carpets on the floor, silver doorways and overhanging chandeliers that once made up the interior decor.
18. The ceiling is decorated with floral patterns andgeometric patterns - floor.
19. The most impressive type of decor can be called stone inlay. The flowers are designed to the smallest detail and each dot and alphabet of the Holy Quran is carefully engraved, carved and inlaid to perfection.
20. The dome of the hall inside is decorated in the form of the sun.
21. The complex is surrounded on three sides by battlements of red sandstone. The side along the river was left open.
22. The complex contains additional mausoleums for Jahan's other wives and one for Mumtaz's favorite servant.
23. The main gate repeats the vaulted passages of the tomb, the arches are decorated with the same decor. Initially, they were made of silver and were called "Gate to Paradise".
24. No craftsmen and designers will be able to reproduce this masterpiece today.
    

Paradise

1. The garden around the tomb symbolizes Eden.
2. The sacred Yamuna was included in the design of the garden as one of the rivers of Paradise.
   
3. The raised marble pool in the center, Al Kawthar, represents the source of paradise mentioned in the Qur'an. Wide and shallow canals extend from it in four cardinal directions, dividing the garden into four equal parts.
4. In its original form, the garden struck with a variety of vegetation and was planned according to the example of 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.
5. Today's landscape design is English style.

Taj Mahal: interesting facts of the present

1. The 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.
2. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
3. You can enter the tomb only by taking off your shoes or wearing disposable shoe covers.
4. It used to be possible to climb to the top of the minarets to take in the view. But after 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 the 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

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

Court records say that Arjuman Banu Begum was the niece of the beloved wife of the father of Prince Khurram (the future emperor). At the age of 14, she and the prince were engaged. On the recommendation of 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, the 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 beloved. The history of relations between them was recorded by the court chroniclers, which the padishah personally followed.

Mystery of the Black Taj Mahal

There is a legend that Shah Jahan wanted to build another palace on the opposite bank of the river, but 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 one on the opposite bank of the river. However, his son, who overthrew him, forbade the construction.

Pieces of black marble, lying on the opposite bank, fully corresponded to this hypothesis. But in the 1990s archaeological excavations discovered that in fact the pieces of "black" marble are blackened white marble. When in 2006 they completed 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.

The generosity of the padishah

Instead of light scaffolding for work around the building, capital brick scaffolding was built. It took many months to completely remove them. They say that to speed up the process, the padishah announced that anyone can take the bricks home in unlimited quantities. And since brick was a valuable building material at that time, it took only one day to clear the scaffolding.

Saving the Taj Mahal

1. At the end of the 19th century, during a civil uprising in India, the complex was looted. The English colonists cut down precious materials from the walls of the building, pulled away the gold and silver details of the buildings. Lord George Nathaniel Curzon, as Viceroy of India, conceived a massive renovation to restore the grandeur of the mosque. In 1908 the work was completed. The garden was remodeled to British landscape style. In place of the stolen silver gates, copper ones were installed. Gold was replaced with bronze.
2. During the wars in 1942, 1965, 1971, the government masked the Taj Mahal with scaffolding. As a result, the building has survived.
3. Recently, cracks have been 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. There is an opinion that the mausoleum sags and may eventually collapse.
4. Marble began to lose its legendary whiteness. This is attributed to air pollution. Therefore, in the city of Agora, where the complex is located, many factories were closed, but not all, and you can drive up to the monument itself only by electric transport or walk up.
5. Marble has to be cleaned regularly with a special clay to keep it white.
6. 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.
7. South China Morning Post reported that the Indian authorities are going to restrict access to the monument in order to preserve it.

Some more interesting facts about the Taj Mahal in the video

It is interesting to know your opinion about this perfect architectural monument. Would you like to see it live? Or do you prefer to enjoy its grandeur at home? Write in the comments.
Share with your friends on social networks to have interesting topic for a conversation.
Rate the article by choosing the desired number of stars below.

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

History and legends of Mumtaz Mahal

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

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

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

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

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

History of the mausoleum

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

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

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

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

The building is surrounded by a park on three sides. The facade of the palace is made up of a marble portal adjacent to the sides with two domed towers. On the central axis of the mausoleum in front of the facade there is an irrigation canal, divided by a pool. Paths stretched from the pool towards four minarets, to which, due to cases of suicide, access was closed.

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

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

Sarcophagi

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

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

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

Taj Mahal

The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal 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). the 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 under the titles of 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 "the tomb of the mistress of my heart." Only later, during the English colonization of India, the modern name of the Taj Mahal was assigned to the building.

Controversy about the architect

After the warof India by the British, a number of scientists hypothesized that the realcreatorThe project of the tomb was a European architect. Possibly ItalianGeronimo Veroneo, who worked at the court of Shah Jahan. Or frenchJeweler AGustin de Bordeaux, one of the creators of the Golden Throne of the Great Mughals.Opponentsthey object: in the architecture of the structure and construction methods there are noeuro tracesPey technical achievements of that time, but everything is connectedbetter thanowned Indian, Persian and Arabic architecture. Specificwaysstone treatments used in construction were known onlyeasternmasters. And domes, like the dome of the Taj Mahal, were erected in thatperiod lish in Samarkand and Bukhara.

LOVE IN STONE
Beloved wife of Shah Jahan 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 made full use of the opportunities
his position. He sent messengers to all centers of architecture in the Islamic world: Istanbul, Baghdad, Samarkand, Damascus and Shiraz, calling together the most famous architects of the East. At the same time, drawings and plans of all the famous buildings of Asia were brought to Agra on his order. Vladyka wanted to erect a building that had no equal or even like it in the world.

Many projects were considered. It may have been the first architectural competition in history. As a result, Shah Jahan settled on the version of the young Shiraz architect Ustad Isa.
Then began direct preparation for construction. Masons from Delhi and Kandahar, who were considered the best in India, came to Agra. Artists and calligraphers were hired in Persia and Baghdad, Bukhara and Delhi people were in charge of finishing, and skillful gardeners from Bengal were invited to create a garden and park ensemble. The management of the work was entrusted to Ustad Isa, and his closest assistants were the prominent Turkish architect Khanrumi and the Samarkandian Sharif, who created the magnificent domes of the mausoleum. Thus, the mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal combined all the best that the architecture and arts and crafts of the East achieved at that time.

TAJ MAHAL MUSEUM

In addition to architectural complex mausoleum on the territory of the Taj Mahal there is also a museum exposition dedicated to the history of the Mughal dynasty. It presents a unique numismatic collection, objects of art and everyday life of the 16th-17th centuries. Near 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 Great Mughals and their families. But at the same time, he made significant changes, abandoning, for example, addiction to numerous columns (there are no Taj Mahal at all). 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.

The construction was completed in 1648, but, apparently,
After that, the finishing continued for several more years. In total, the construction and decoration took 22 years. More than 20 thousand people took part in the work at the same time, for whom a special town of Mumtazabad was built near Agra.
The main material was white marble, delivered on elephants from the quarries of Jokhapur - more than three hundred kilometers away. In the decoration, inlays with precious and semi-precious stones were widely used. There were Hindu Kush lapis lazuli, Chinese jade of all colors, Deccan moonstone, Persian amethysts and turquoise, Tibetan carnelian, malachite brought from Russia. According to legend, “a lot more gold and silver than an elephant can take away” went into inlay. For the main lines in the ornaments, red sandstone and black marble were used.
To lift to great height materials for the construction of the main dome, according to the project of the Turkish engineer Ismail Khan, they built a sloping earth embankment 3.5 km long and almost 50 m high. Through it, elephants could deliver marble blocks to the work site without interference. When Shah Jahan saw the finished mausoleum, he wept with admiration.

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

Soon, Shah Jahan wished to build a similar mausoleum next to the Taj Mahal, but already black - for himself.
However, this was not destined to come true. The emperor fell ill, a war broke out in the country between his sons. Thanks to the support of the Muslim clergy, the youngest, 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 the jailers to bring him to the window and, looking at the tomb of his beloved wife, “plunged into a deep, eternal sleep.” According to his 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 eyes of the architects were gouged out, and the hands of the craftsmen were cut off so that they could not create anything like it again. Of course, this is a myth. On the contrary, both architects and builders were generously rewarded, and besides, their work during the entire time of the construction of the mausoleum was well paid. Which, by the way, gave Shah Jahan's enemies a reason to claim that the construction of the Taj Mahal ruined the treasury of the empire. But this is not so: at that moment, the power of the Great Moguls 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 neighbors.

BEAUTY AND TIME
Time and people did not spare 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 elder wife. But the copy was very unsuccessful and almost unknown to the general public.
After Aurangzeb, the mausoleum was plundered under Nadir Shah in 1739. Then the silver doors of the main hall were taken away, later replaced by bronze ones, which still exist today. When the British army occupied Agra in 1803, the soldiers took out about 200 kg of gold from the Taj Mahal and dug out a lot of precious stones from its walls. Most of these treasures went to the East India Company.
Only at the end of the XIX century. By order of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, the monument was taken under protection. Since then, its security has been the concern of the Indian authorities - first the colonial, and after independence - the national government. The leadership of the Department of Archaeological Surveys of India even achieved a resolution Supreme Court countries to impose a ban on industrial activities in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal. Airplane flights are prohibited over the mausoleum so that the vibration from the operation of the engines does not damage the unique monument.
Unfortunately, the normal functioning of the museum has been hampered by politics for several years now. In connection with the activation of terrorist organizations in India, the protection of the Taj Mahal had to be entrusted to the armed forces and special services. The central pavilion of the mausoleum was closed to visitors back in 1984, after a clash between guards and militants took place there. Since then, the Indian government has been wary of a repeat attack and has carefully controlled the surrounding area. Ironically, the attacks against the Taj Mahal, built by one of India's greatest Muslim sovereigns, were planned and carried out by Islamic radicals.
Recently, the mausoleum has also been threatened by the forces of nature. Due to subsidence of the soil, changes in the hydrological regime and several earthquakes, the foundations of the minarets have shifted, and only urgent measures to strengthen the soil saved the miracle of architecture from destruction.

Mosaic 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 almost does not need 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 the Empress Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are located in the dungeon exactly under the cenotaphs. These tombs are covered with fantastically vegetal ornaments made of semi-precious stones.

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

IDEAL PROPORTIONS
In terms of the Taj Mahal, it is somewhat similar to the classical Islamic place of worship. In addition to the mausoleum itself, the complex of buildings includes a mosque and a covered gallery built of red sandstone, a gate in the form of an arch, as well as an extensive garden with fountains and pools, planned 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 puddle was built on it and rests directly on the Taj Mahal. This absolutely symmetrical octagonal building, 57 meters high, is crowned with a 24-meter dome, shaped like a lotus bud. The facades are decorated lancet arches and niches that create a subtle play of light and shadow.
The mausoleum is especially beautiful against the blue sky, and all this magnificence 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 facade of the palace.
White marble in combination with a carefully selected shade of the dome tiles - the color of the sky - creates the impression of an 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, golden colors. Early in the morning the building, as if woven from lace. seems to be floating in the air.

Taj Mahal is one of the great monuments of India, created in the name of love and fidelity to a woman. extraordinary beauty unparalleled in its grandeur. It reflects the wealth of an entire era in the history of the country. The building, built of white marble, was the last beneficence of the Mongol Emperor Shah Jahan for his late wife Mumtaz Mahal.

In order to build a mausoleum whose beauty was unparalleled in the world, the best craftsmen were assembled by order of the emperor. Currently, the Taj Mahal is included in the list of the seven most majestic monuments in the world. Decorated with gold and semi-precious stones, it has turned into one of the most magnificent buildings in architecture. It is an instantly recognizable and most photographed building.

Mausoleum-mosque Taj Mahal(also "Taj") is located in India, in Agra, on the banks of the Jumna River. A descendant of Tamerlane - the padish of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan ordered the construction of a building in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during the birth of her fourteenth child (Shah Jahan himself also rests here).

The building, which combines elements of Arabic, Indian and Persian architectural styles, is considered the best example of Mughal architecture. The Taj Mahal was declared a site in 1983 world heritage UNESCO.

Although the mausoleum's marbled white dome is its best-known component, the Taj Mahal is a structurally integrated complex. The building began to be built around 1632 and completed by 1653. Twenty thousand craftsmen and artisans were involved in the construction work. The construction of the Taj Mahal was supervised by the Council of Architects under the control of the emperor, including Ustad Ahmad Lakhauri, Makramat Khan, Deshenov-Anu. Lakhauri is considered the main author of the project. Another version, that the Turk Isa Mohammed Efendi was the main architect, is most common among the guides of the Taj Mahal.

Inside the mausoleum are two tombs - Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. However, the burial place itself is located below the ground, strictly under the tombs. The period of construction is attributed to approximately 1630-1652. The Taj is a five-domed structure 74 meters high on a platform, with four minarets at the corners (having a slight slope away from the tomb, so as not to damage it in case of destruction), which adjoins a garden with a pool and fountains.

Natural stone for construction was brought over three hundred kilometers. The walls were laid out of polished translucent marble inlaid with gems. Turquoise, carnelian, malachite, agate were used. Marble has a peculiarity - it looks white in bright daylight, pink at dawn, silvery on a moonlit night.

More than twenty-two thousand masters for the construction of the complex were invited from all over the empire, as well as from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Persia.

The Taj Mahal was erected on a piece of land south of Agra, surrounded by a fortified wall. The land that belonged to Maharaja Jai ​​Singh was exchanged by Shah Jahan for Grand Palace in the center of the capital of the Mughal empire. An area of ​​about three acres had been dug up. To reduce infiltration, the soil was replaced, the level of the site was raised fifty meters above the level of the river bank.

Wells were dug on the site of the mausoleum. After filling them with rubble stone, they formed the foundation of the structure. The scaffolding of tied bamboo was replaced with massive brick scaffolding surrounding the tomb. They were of such impressive size that the building masters feared that their dismantling could take years. According to legend, Shah Jahan allowed anyone to take and keep as many bricks as they wished. After that, the peasants dismantled the forests almost overnight.

A fifteen-kilometer gentle rise was built to the construction site from rammed earth - a ramp that served to transport marble and other materials. On specially designed wagons, thirty bulls were dragged block by block to the construction site. To raise the load to the desired level, a thoroughly executed three-dimensional frame structure with blocks was used.

With the help of a rope-bucket system, using animal strength, water was extracted from the river for the needs of construction. Then it was poured into a large tank and from there it was lifted into a distribution tank. Water was distributed through auxiliary tanks, then it was supplied through pipes to the construction complex.

The construction of the platform and the tomb took about twelve years. It took another ten years to build the rest of the complex. The minarets, the mosque, the javab and the Great Gate were successively completed. Since the construction was carried out in stages, different points of view arose as to what moment should be considered final in the construction of the Taj Mahal. For example, the mausoleum was completed in 1643, then work was carried out on the rest of the complex.

At that time, the approximate cost of construction was up to thirty-two million rupees.

Building materials for the Taj Mahal were brought from all over India, from different places in Asia. Over a thousand elephants were used to transport translucent white marble from Makrana, Rajasthan; jasper was brought from Punjab; crystals and jade from China. Lapis lazuli was transported from Afghanistan, turquoise from Tibet, sapphires were brought from the island of Sri Lanka, carnelian from Arabia. Twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid in white marble.

Craftsmen and workers gathered from all over the world worked on the construction. northern India. The group of thirty-seven people responsible for the artistic image of the complex included calligraphers from Persia and Syria, sculptors from Bukhara, stonemasons from Baluchistan, inlay craftsmen from south India, a marble carver and a tower specialist.

The mausoleum has numerous symbols hidden in its layout and architecture. For example, on the gate that allows visitors to the Taj Mahal to enter the park complex around the mausoleum, four final verses from the 89th sura of the Koran are carved, facing the soul of the righteous.

The red sandstone mosque is located to the left of the tomb. On the right side is an exact copy of the mosque. The whole complex is created according to axial symmetry. Relative to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the tomb has a central symmetry. This symmetry is broken only by the tomb of Shah Jahan, built there after his death.

Walls inlaid with semi-precious and precious stones reflect their light under the moon and sun. The Taj Mahal is surrounded on all sides by water. An expansive marble swimming pool is located right in front of the building. At a certain angle, the entire structure is reflected in the waters.

In the walls Taj Mahal at present cracks were found. Scientists expressed the opinion that the appearance of cracks is associated with the shallowing of the Jumna River, which flows nearby. The disappearance of the river can lead to changes in the structure of the soil, further subsidence of the mausoleum and possibly its destruction. Due to polluted air, the walls began to lose their legendary whiteness. The park area around the Taj Mahal is expanding, a number of particularly dirty industries have been closed in Agra, but the mausoleum continues to turn yellow. Therefore, it is regularly cleaned with a special white clay.

Taj Mahal is visited daily by tens of thousands of tourists. "Indian gem" at the expense of tourists brings a considerable income to the state treasury. During the year, the mausoleum is visited by more than two hundred thousand foreign guests. Most of which come in the cooler months - October, November, February.

The movement of any vehicles with internal combustion engines is prohibited near the complex. From the car park, tourists can come by electric bus or come on foot. To date, the Khavasspuras (northern courtyard) has been restored, it is used as new center for visitors. To the south, in the small town of Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad, bazaars, markets, and caravanserais were built to meet the needs of workers and visitors.

The Taj Mahal is included in several lists of the seven wonders of the modern world, including list of the New Seven Wonders of the World compiled in 2007.

The expositions are open on weekdays from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. The exception is Friday: from twelve o'clock in the evening until two o'clock the complex is open for prayer in the mosque. The complex is also available on the day of the full moon for night viewing, two days before and after the full moon, the month of Ramadan and Friday are excluded.

For safe purposes, water can only be carried inside the Taj Mahal complex in transparent bottles, small handbags are also allowed, Cell phones, small cameras and camcorders.

Since the beginning of existence The Taj Mahal served as a source of admiration despite all geographic and cultural barriers. In many hearts, the building found an emotional response that surpassed the dry statistical evaluation of the building.

The most interesting and tenacious the myth of the Taj Mahal tells that Shah Jahan planned to build another black marble mausoleum opposite, across the river. This myth refers to the fantastic notes of the European traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who visited Agra in 1665. There is an assumption that Shah Jahan did not build a black marble mausoleum, as he was overthrown by his own son Aurangzeb.

The marble ruins in the "Moon Garden" on the opposite side of the river seemed to confirm this legend. However, excavations in the 1990s showed that the stones of the "black marble" were actually blackened white marble. In 2006, archaeologists put a more solid foundation for the source of the myth about the black marble mausoleum, when part of the pond was reconstructed in the Moon Garden. Scientists have found that the black reflection of the Taj Mahal is clearly visible in the water of the pond. This further confirms Shah Jahan's obsession with symmetry.

There is no evidence to support the legend, often told in bloody detail, that many of the architects and craftsmen who built the mausoleum were brutally destroyed and dismembered by order of Shah Jahan. They say that the builders were forced to sign a special agreement under which they pledged never to take part in the construction of anything like the Taj Mahal. Similar legends exist regarding many famous buildings.

There is no evidence that the Governor General of India, Lord William Bentinck, planned to dismantle the Taj Mahal in the 1830s and then auction off its marble. John Rosselli, Bentinck's biographer, claims that the story comes from a real-life case of Bentinck's sale of marble from the construction of the Agra Fort.

With such famous building how the Taj Mahal is connected a lot of interesting facts. From Persian, the name Shah Jahan is translated as "Ruler of the World" (shah - ruler, jahan - universe, world); Mumtaz-Mahal means "The Chosen One of the Court" (mumtaz - the best, mahal - courtyard, palace). From Persian, the name "Taj Mahal" is translated as "The Greatest Palace" (taj - crown, mahal - palace). Similar meanings are preserved in Hindi, Arabic.

Some tourist guides say that for many years after the overthrow until his death, Shah Jahan sadly admired the Taj Mahal from the windows of the dungeon. These stories often mention the palace of Shah Jahan - the Red Fort, built by the ruler at the zenith of his reign. Aurangzeb, the son of Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, turned part of the chambers of the palace into a luxurious place of detention for his father.

It is very similar to the Taj Mahal appearance, and of Mughal origin Humayun's tomb in Delhi. The tomb of the Mughal emperor was also created as a sign of great love - only a wife for her husband. Humayun's tomb was built earlier; when building his masterpiece, Jahan was guided by the architecture of Humayun's tomb. But compared to the Taj Mahal, it is little known.

In the city of Agra is the tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daula, which has a different name - Mini Taj. The architecture of the mausoleum is very similar to the reduced Taj Mahal.

The mausoleum has an optical focus. When moving towards the Taj Mahal, with your back to the exit, you get the feeling that the temple is huge compared to the environment.

Airplanes are not allowed to fly over the Taj Mahal.

Once upon a time, large doors - a symbol of the entrance to paradise, consisted of silver, a thin pattern was laid out with thousands of silver carnations. Now the doors are made of copper, as the former ones have been stolen. There are fewer precious stones on the facade and inside. There is no golden parapet, pearl bedspread ...