Mumtaz Mahal's tomb is located at the northern end of the funerary complex on a square marble pedestal 328 feet on each side and 19 feet high, centered on a sandstone terrace. The walls are covered with fine white china marbles in geometric patterns and painted black. The entrance is through a simple flat door made of red sandstone with iron hinges. Inside, the chamber is round with an arched ceiling supported by wooden beams. On one side is a small open kiosk for musicians to play during funeral ceremonies.
The tomb was built in 1645 by Shah Jahan as a memorial to his third wife, Mumtaz. It is estimated that it took 20,000 workers six years to complete this project. In addition to being queen consort, Mumtaz was also a famous poet and musician who wrote songs for her husband to dance to at celebrations. She also designed her own jewelry and clothing and had a workshop where she worked with gold and silver craftsmen. Her death in 1649 caused great sorrow for the emperor because she was very beautiful and he wanted to keep her alive. But she died young (35 years old) and left behind two sons.
For many years, people have been trying to steal the jewels from Mumtaz's tomb but so far they have all been recovered.
The Taj Mahal complex is surrounded on three sides by crenellated red sandstone walls; the fourth side is exposed to the river. There are also other mausoleums beyond the fortifications, including those of Shah Jahan's other wives and a grander tomb for Mumtaz's favorite servant. These additional structures are not included in calculations of the number of walls.
When building the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan ordered that no white stone be used, instead ordering that blue stones be used instead. The name "Taj Mahal" means "Crowned Jewel".
There are actually two monuments at the site of the Taj Mahal. The original monument was built between 1632 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal. It was designed by Fardin Khan and is now located inside the Aga Khan Museum in New York City. This is the more famous monument and it is estimated to contain approximately 2.5 million stones. The original monument was then expanded by its builder over the course of several years. This expansion was done primarily by adding to the size of the central burial chamber but also included new rooms for servants and other amenities. The final product is a huge monument with four stories and each story consisting of four large courtyards. The entire structure is covered in glazed black and white marble and has eight enormous gates made of silver and gold.
The Taj Mahal is built on 42 acres of land. The main building is located on a 50-meter-high platform. The four minars are each 137 feet tall, while the tomb is 58 meters tall. The entire structure is 160 feet taller than the Washington Monument.
The foundation of the Taj Mahal is made up of black basalt from Mount Abu in Rajasthan, India. The walls of the monument are made of white marble from Agra, and its dome is made of pure gold. The interior of the tomb is decorated with stones taken from all over India, including marble, jasper, and sandstone.
The construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1632 and was completed in 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan's orders. It is believed that around 20,000 workers participated in its construction.
In 2016, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Houston concluded that the Taj Mahal is not based on any ancient Indian architecture but rather it follows the style of Europe at the time it was being constructed. The study's lead author, John H. Evans, wrote that "the true origin of the Taj Mahal remains a mystery" and "there is no evidence to support the theory that it was inspired by ancient Indian buildings."
The mausoleum is the focal point of the Taj Mahal complex as a whole. It is a massive, white marble edifice with an iwan (an arch-shaped gateway) capped by a big dome and finial that stands on a square plinth. The essential components, like those found in most Mughal tombs, are Indo-Islamic in origin. However, due to its size and beauty, it has become one of the best-known examples of this style of architecture.
The mausoleum was intended for Emperor Shah Jahan's burial. It is built around a central octagonal chamber where the emperor's body would have been kept after cremation. This is surrounded by a series of rooms used for storing treasures and documents related to the empire. The overall area of the tomb is about 25,000 sq ft (2,300 sq m).
The mausoleum was built over the course of many years (1632-1648). It was originally called "Taj-ul-Maasoom" which means "Crowned With Success". But it wasn't completed until five years after Shah Jahan's death in 1657. The tomb itself takes up approximately 12,000 sq ft (1120 sq m), but the grounds include residential quarters, temples, mosques, and other structures. It is estimated that the project cost approximately $7 million at that time.
It was built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (who ruled from 1628 to 1658) to house the tomb 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 identical facades surrounded by gardens. Inside, the central tomb bears the remains of Shah Jahan and his wives.
The construction of the Taj Mahal started on March 3, 1632 and it was completed in just under five years. It was originally called "Alamgir's Tomb" after its architect, who used to work for the Mughal emperor Khwaja Ahsanullah. However, later it was named after its patron Shah Jahan because the emperor wanted everyone to believe that he was indeed buried inside the tomb.
It is believed that during its construction, 20,000 workers were employed simultaneously on different parts of the project. The emperor also had bodies of his enemies buried beneath the foundations of the monument so that they would be free from pain forever.
The Taj Mahal has been described as the most beautiful building in the world. It has also been called the "Crown of India" and "Mumtaz Mahal's Kiss".
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 BindleyHardware & Co Inc.
