Now that you know how to get to India, what should you see when you get there? The Taj Mahal of course. Without running the risk of giving a history lesson, amazing facts about this exotic edifice must be shared. The Taj Mahal is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world, ranking with such wonders as the Great Wall of China and Christ the Redeemer. As a matter of fact, the fore mentioned marvelous sites (including the Taj) are a part of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”, not to be confused with The Ancient Seven Wonders, the Natural Wonders of the World and The Seven Wonders of the Modern World (all worth checking out).
Because we are doing our research on what to see and do in India we started our research at the top of the list with the Taj Mahal. Of course we rediscovered all sorts of facts most people know about the Taj like the fact that it is located in Agra, India, but here are some interesting facts you may not know.
-The palace is actually a Mausoleum.
- It took 22 years to complete.
- Agra is in the Northern state of Uttar Pradesh, close to Delhi.
- The Taj Mahal is not just one structure, but consists of four main structures and auxiliary houses as well.
- In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
- Because the Taj sits on The Yamuna River (Jamuna River) some believe that the massive main building is beginning to “sink” leaning deeper into the ground on side facing the river.
If that’s not enough to make you want to visit the fascinating Taj Mahal, maybe the love story behind why this auspicious monument was created will.
The 5th Mughal emperor, born 1592, Emperor Shah Jahan is responsible for giving the order to build the Taj Mahal. Though a powerful ruler and dynamic conqueror, history remembers Shah Jahan as the most prolific architect of India and of his time.
The Taj Mahal was built in honor of Shah Jahan’s favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal (chosen one of the palace); she died giving birth to his 14th child. Mumtaz Mahal married the emperor at age 14. Though she was not his only wife she was favored above all and was by his side until her death in 1631.
Historians do not agree if the reason for building the monument of love, purity and beauty was because of a death bed request given by the queen herself or if it was out of grief that the emperor spent 22 years, (1631-1653) most of his treasury and much of his reign building it. I can hardly wait to explore every corridor and hall to see if I can discover the answer.
Sources:
Tajhub.com
Tajmahal.org
National Geographic: Taj Mahal
Amazon.com (A History of Architecture p.624-630)
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