The Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world which is visited by millions of travelers every year.The Taj Mahal is a palace located on the bank of the Yamuna River situated in Agra, India. Taj Mahal is considered one of the most exceptional architectural masterpieces by experts from across the globe.The Taj Mahal is popularly known for being a symbol of love and devotion because it was built by a Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Banu Begum or more commonly known as Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan together had 14 children, and she died during the childbirth of their last child. The construction started around the year 1632, about a year after Shah Jahan’s wife’s death.The Taj Mahal is situated on the southern bank of the Yamuna River, while the Red Fort or Agra Fort can be seen on the western side of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is built on an expanse of land measuring about 42 ac (17 ha), which includes the tombs in the center, mosque, guest house, and sprawling gardens with channels of running water and fountains. About eight million people visit the Taj Mahal every year from all around the world.After reading about this architectural marvel located in Agra, India, also check out our other articles about what does the Taj Mahal represent and Eiffel tower here at Kidadl.Fun Facts About The Taj MahalThe construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1632 in memory of Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal, after her death in 1631. She was extremely beloved by the emperor and their union lasted for almost 19 years before her death during childbirth.Mumtaz Mahal translates loosely to ‘chosen one of the palace’, while the translation of Taj Mahal is ‘the crown of palaces’. The architectural style of the Taj Mahal is a blend of Persian, Islamic, and Indian styles, which have been brought together to create a wonderful masterpiece.Before its construction in Agra, the Taj Mahal was initially supposed to be built in Burhanpur, where Mumtaz Mahal actually died, but it was almost impossible at the time to transport tonnes of marble to Burhanpur, hence the construction took place in Agra.The entire structure of the Taj Mahal is perfectly geometric, the only exception being Shah Jahan’s own tomb, which lies a little towards the western side of the Taj Mahal Complex. The complete construction of the Taj Mahal took around 20 years, and the process involved more than 20,000 workers and 1,000 elephants for carrying heavy materials.The chief architect for the construction was Ustad Ahmed Lahouri. His attention to detail is astonishing. In order to protect the central dome from any damage that may be caused by the four towering minarets around the Taj Mahal Complex, these minarets are tilted slightly outwards, so that if they ever fall, they will fall away from the dome and avoid any damage to the tombs below. The dome of the Taj Mahal complex is built in such a way that a single note of the flute reverberates five times inside the dome.The cost incurred for building the Taj Mahal was about 32 million rupees, which in today’s terms amounts to approximately $1 billion. The Taj Mahal complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, as a jewel of Mughal art and a piece of world heritage admired universally. In 2007, the Taj Mahal was voted by people all around the world as one of the seven wonders of the world.Major problems like air pollution due to heavy traffic are affecting the beautiful monument, especially the white marble. Hence, a rule of no cars or buses closer than 1650 ft (500 m) around the monument is strictly followed in Agra, the city where the Taj Mahal is situated.Historical Facts About Taj MahalIn order to build the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, various workers like stone cutters, masons, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome builders, stone cutters, and many more were brought in from the whole Mughal empire, as well as many parts of Iran, Persia, Europe, and Central Asia.Ustad Ahmad Lahouri, who was the main architect of the whole project, was of Persian descent.The mausoleum, which holds the tombs, was finished by 1639, but the whole construction of the adjacent mosque and guest quarters was completed by 1643. Further decorations, which were mainly intricate work, took four more years to complete, and the whole 42 ac (17 ha) area took about 22 years to be completely constructed.The walls of the Taj Mahal are covered in calligraphic inscriptions in many places, most of which are Arabic texts taken from the holy Quran. The main calligrapher who was responsible for inscribing these beautiful verses is said to have left a signature which translates to ‘written by the insignificant being, Amanat Khan Shirazi’.At the very center of the Taj Mahal, one can find the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. In reality, these two are empty mausoleums, and the real tombs of both, the emperor and the empress are situated in a chamber below their cenotaph. These cenotaphs are decorated with sheer white marble and covered with beautiful calligraphy from the Quran. Most of these verses are about paradise. This was done mainly because the Islamic religion forbids the decoration of graves.Before the pandemic-related guidelines came into effect, more than three million visitors used to visit this exquisite marble tomb located in Agra, making it one of the most visited historical monuments in India. As the pollution from vehicles and factories located in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal was affecting the shine of the marble, the Supreme Court of India issued strict guidelines for the authorities. This led to the relocation of polluting industrial units away from the majestic marble monument as well as the setting up of a perimeter beyond which vehicular traffic could not enter.Facts About Taj Mahal’s ArchitectureOne of the most intriguing facts about the Taj Mahal’s architecture is that it is a perfectly bilateral symmetrical building. Hence, all four sides of the mausoleum look exactly similar to each other from the outside.There are five main structures inside the Taj Mahal complex: the gateway, the garden, the mosque, and Jawab, which are opposite each other, and lastly, the mausoleum, surrounded by its four minarets.Did you know that, as per the legend, Mumtaz Mahal bound Shah Jahan with a promise on her deathbed? What was that promise, you ask? Well, it was to create the most beautiful tomb in her memory!The main structure is made from materials like red sandstone, held together by brick in lime mortar and covered with white marble, inlaid with numerous precious or semi-precious stones. The white marble reflects the hues of the sky, making the Taj Mahal appear pink and orange during dusk and dawn, a cool white during the daytime, and a mysterious gray and blue during the night.The tombs below the mausoleum are held in an octagonal room, and the same ground plan is seen in the upper rooms as well. There are four rooms in each corner, connected by passages.The tomb is situated on a raised platform, which corresponds with the outer minarets.The large dome where the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are situated is an octagonal room, the walls of which are perfectly symmetrical to each other. These walls are the center of attraction, as they are polished to perfection and inlaid with cut and carved precious and semi-precious stones.On the other sides of the garden, two symmetrical buildings are situated opposite to each other across the garden. One of them is a mosque that faces east, and the other is Jawab, which translates to ‘answer’ that faces west. These two structures mirror each other to perfection.All around the complex, the walls, and surfaces of all structures are covered in precious-colored stones, carved and inlaid into the surface. Most of these are geometric floral patterns, and this art is known as ‘Pietra dura’, which translates to ‘hard stone’ in Italian. These precious and semi-precious stones include jade, turquoise, lapis lazuli, amethyst, crystal, and many others.The foundation of the Taj Mahal is not made from stone but actually made from timber. The constant source of water being the Yamuna River, just beside the Taj Mahal, has kept the foundation strong till today.The Significance Of Taj MahalThe Taj Mahal is one of the man-made seven wonders of the world that rightfully deserves that title. One cannot help but fathom the size of the monument located in India, which was built in an age without advanced machinery and whose construction depended only on human capacity.The attention to the smallest of details is astonishing and is an example of the finest artistic achievement. The perfectly geometrical architecture of the dome just shows how much thought the architects must have put into building this monumental structure. The building represents the grandeur and splendor of the Mughal dynasty and Indo-Islamic culture, which has given us a masterpiece of a perfectly balanced and uniquely aesthetic monument.The monument also signifies the love and devotion that the emperor Shah Jahan had for his wife, even after her passing. The Taj Mahal is the result of thousands of laborers who worked to make it into such a strong and astonishingly beautiful example of Mughal architecture. It is known that after Shah Jahan’s son took over the Mughal empire, he imprisoned his father in the Red Fort. Shah Jahan used to watch the Taj Mahal every day, spending his last days watching the Taj Mahal and wondering when he could join his beloved wife.Today, the monument stands as a national pride for India and represents the great cultural heritage of the motherland of millions of Indians.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 135 facts about Taj Mahal that will make you want to visit the place, then why not take a look at the New York Statue of Liberty facts or Hagia Sophia?
The Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world which is visited by millions of travelers every year.
