The Taj Mahal's construction began about 1632. The tomb was built between 1638 and 1639. The accessory structures were completed by 1643, and decorating work continued until at least 1647. The 42-acre (17-hectare) facility took 22 years to build in all. It was inaugurated on 4 April 1653.
Some reports claim that it took about 7 years to build. But this seems unlikely as there is no evidence of construction during this time. And even if some parts of the building were started but not finished, this would still leave more than 17 years for the entire project to be completed.
The main structure is about 250 feet (76 m) wide and 220 feet (67 m) deep. It has four stories with an attic. The walls are made of marble from Rajasthan, India. The roof is composed of ceramic tiles imported from Italy. There are three entrances: one in the north wall and two in the south wall. All the doorways are covered with inlaid gold plates. There are windows but they are mostly closed up today.
On top of the tomb is a large white dome with a golden finial. Under the dome is an empty space where Shah Jahan wanted his body to be placed after death. But he didn't get to move in because he died before he could see his masterpiece completed.
The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (who ruled from 1628 to 1658) commissioned it in 1632 to house the grave of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also holds Shah Jahan's mausoleum.
| Taj Mahal | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 27°10′30″N 78°02′31″ECoordinates: 27°10′30″N 78°02′31″E |
| Area | 17 hectares |
| Height | 73 m (240 ft) |
| Built | 1632–53 |
The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, is a white marble mausoleum erected by Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1648 in remembrance of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It was built by 20,000 workers and portrays the Islamic garden of heaven. It is often recognized as the pinnacle of Mughal architecture. The building takes the form of a perfect square with four equal sides of 120 feet (37 meters). Each side has an arcade with windows and doorways that increase in size from the bottom to the top.
The interior of the monument is decorated with thousands of semiprecious stones and mirrors. It also contains several precious stones including diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. Gold is used for the fixtures such as the chandeliers and taps. The complex also includes a mosque, a temple, and gardens where living organisms such as plants and animals were also buried in graves similar to those found in traditional cemeteries.
Taj Mahal was meant to be a final resting place for both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz but only Shah Jahan's body was actually moved into the tomb. His body was wrapped in silk and gold cloth, placed inside a glass case called a sarcophagus, and then enclosed in the marble shrine we see today. Mumtaz's body was similarly treated and her remains are also interred within the marble shrine.
1631 In 1631, Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal to be erected in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess who died while giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. It was completed in 1653 at a cost of over $6 million (1.5 billion dollars today).
The Taj Mahal complex is said to have been finished in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be roughly 32 million rupees, which would be around 70 billion rupees (approximately $956 million) in 2020..
| Taj Mahal | |
|---|---|
| Inscription | 1983 (7th session) |
The Taj Mahal translates as "The Jewel of the Palace." The masterpiece represents the pinnacle of Mughal architecture and is regarded as one of the most magnificent structures in the world. As a result, it has been named one of the world's new seven wonders. The Taj Mahal was erected between 1631 and 1654 on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Some have questioned why a monument that was built with such extravagance could be considered a work of art, but the Taj Mahal remains an unparalleled example of Mughal architecture. Its elaborate design and pure white marble make it look even more beautiful today than when it was first constructed.
The Taj Mahal was not intended to be viewed as a work of art. It was built as a tomb for Shah Jahan's beloved queen and had no other purpose. However, it continues to inspire artists around the world due to its perfect symmetry, elegant lines, and rich colors.
In 2016, UNESCO added the Taj Mahal to its World Heritage List. It is the only building on the list from India.
The Taj Mahal complex is thought to have been finished in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be roughly 32 million rupees, which would be around 70 billion rupees (approximately $956 million) in 2020. The actual cost of construction has never been fully established because many workers were paid in advance and none of them came forward to claim responsibility for the work done, but it is believed that about 20,000 people were employed on the project over an estimated period of twenty years.
The original estimate for the cost of constructing the mausoleum was set by Mir 'Ālam Beg, the father of Emperor Shah Jahan, who is said to have declared that it was worth the money. However, historians believe the figure was probably higher than what was actually spent because it included items such as fine stones and carvings which might have been bought in bulk from dealers and sold off individually later.
As well as being expensive, the construction of the mausoleum was also slow. The first stone was not laid until 1583, almost ten years after Mir 'Ālam Beg's death, and it wasn't until 1633 that it was finally completed. This means that only its main body was built before going bankrupt, probably due to high costs.
Campaigners have warned that unless immediate action is made to strengthen the Taj Mahal's foundations, it would collapse within five years. The 358-year-old marble monument is India's most famous tourist destination, drawing four million people to the northern city of Agra each year. Its beauty has inspired many artists and poets, including John Keats who wrote about it in a letter home from India.
The building works involved in its creation are said to have consumed nearly all of its initial resources. In 1672, Shah Jahan ordered the construction of this fairy-tale palace as a memorial for his wife. It is believed that around 20,000 workers were involved in its construction.
The Taj Mahal remains one of Asia's greatest architectural achievements and one of the world's most beautiful buildings. However, experts say that it is not sustainable for it to remain open all year round as a museum because it is too expensive to maintain. They recommend that it be closed for some time every year or two for restoration work to be done on its walls and other areas of damage.
The building's managers say that the cost of maintaining the site and running the tours is too high, so they have not taken any steps to ensure that visitors can still see the whole structure. They claim that even if everyone visited the site once in their life, it would still be worthwhile because it is such an amazing piece of art.
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