Raj Mahal. On the territory of Taja

Taj Mahal in India is close to Agra. In his external magnitude, he resembles a temple, but in fact it is a mausoleum built in honor of the second wife Shah Jakhan - Mumtaz Mahal (in another Arjumand Bano Beam).

History and legends Mumtaz Mahal

The translation of the Taj Mahal means the crown of Mughal. For some time, he was also called the Taj Bibi-like Raus or the burial site of the Queen of the Heart. By old legend Prince Gram, the future Shah Jahan, once a poor girl saw on the market. Looking at her eyes, he immediately decided to take her to his wives. So in 19 years old Argumand Bano Bemum acquired the status of the second wife of Prince Guram. Gurama 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 associate of the prince. But the struggle was serious: the prince opposed his brothers, and also had to hide from the native father of Jahangira. But still in 1627, Guram managed to capture the throne and get the status of Shah Jahan - the Lord of the World.

Mumtaz occupied an important place in the life of the government. Shah Jakhan arranged different techniques and feasts in her honor. Mumtaz was present at all important state ceremonies, she was heard even at government councils.

Specific facts about the life and death of Mumtaz in different sources confused that over time made their legend. So Mumtaz gave birth to nine or thirteen children, and died in 1636 or 1629. It is confused and the reason for one of them was sick, on the other died during childbirth. Much is reduced to the fact that this event occurred during a return with a victory from Dean. The legend also states that before the death of Mumtaz asked her husband to build a tomb equal to their love.

History of creating mausoleum

Initially, the queen was buried in Burkhan-Nure, where she died. Six months later, her remains were delivered to Agra. And on the anniversary of the death of Shah Jahan began the construction of a mausoleum. The best architects of the East took part in the project competition. All the masters surpassed the architect Usto Isa Khan Effesti from Shiraza. His project as a whole, I really liked the emperor, and was only partially changed later.

22 years old 20 thousand people built this attraction of India. The tomb itself was taken by a wall made of red sandstone. Before Mausoleum Taj Mahal built a huge courtyard under future sad. One of one beautiful legends On the opposite side of the Jamna River, the ruler began the construction of another of the same in shape, but from black marble, Mausoleum for himself. In this legend and in the overall architecture of the building, the love of Shah Jahan to symmetry is visible. The construction of the anticopian of the Mausoleum was not destined to come true - his son Aurangzeb intercepts the throne and sharpens the 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 the father, Aurangzeb transfers his body to the Taj Mahal to his wife. Here were buried and many other wives Shah Jahan, as well as some family members and their approximate.

The Taj Mahal is really a very beautiful building. No description, photo or video will not be able to transfer all true beauty of this facility. The architecture of the structure conveys a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. Fortress walls in the corners are framed by pavilions tower. The center towers the tomb building itself in transfusion colors depending on the lighting. At night, it seems dazzling white, and in the period of spill of the river, all this beauty is exactly reflected in its course.

On three sides the building surrounds the park. The facade of the palace is a marble portal, adjacent to the parties with two dome towers. On the central axis of the mausoleum before the facade is the irrigation canal, separated by the pool. From the pool to the side of the four minarets, the tracks are extended, which, because of cases of suicide, access was closed.

Feeling lightness of the building from afar reinforces its decoration with a more careful study. So the walls are painted with a subtle pattern, marble blocks are encrusted with gems that are transfusing to light. It seems that this building was erected quite recently. It is not surprising that by the next legend, Shah Jahan ordered to cut off his hands to the architect, so that he could not repeat the like.

Two side stairs lead to the second floor of the tomb, where under a huge dome rising to a height of 74 meters, open terraces spread. In the facade of the building, niches are cut out, which further enhances the sense of weightless building. Entering the passage of the facade, you can see the spacious hall, in the center of which are two white sandy sarcophagus.

Sarcophagi

The walls of the building are decorated with mosaics from stones. They are woven into many plants, garlands of flowers, letters. Arches arches are painted by fourteen sourses from the Quran.

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

History great Love: Shah-Jahan and Mumtaz-Mahal

Every year, Taj Mahal in India visits about five million tourists. The creation of the greatest structures on Earth is associated with the name of Shah-Jahan, the grandson of the Great Mogola Akbar.

The name of Shah-Jahan, which means "the ruler of the world", gave his father to his son His father. On a young age, the boy was engaged in Mumtaz-wax, but so coincided that they loved each other. And their love passed the test of eternity ...

Shah-Jahan was big Harem.But for him there was no other women except Mumtaz-Mahal. Yes, he had children from other wives, but his feelings for these women did not go to any comparison with his large love To the "Choosing Palace" - this is exactly what the name Mumtaz-Mahal is translated. The fact that they were very close was recorded in all palace chronicles, which is unusual for the eastern world. After all, Muslims are preached by various love: love for God, to the Lord, to the country, but not romantic.

The happiness of lovers lasted long. A rebellion broke out in one of the remote provinces, and Shah-Jahan went to suppress him. In all campaigns, Mumtaz-Mahal accompanied her husband. But this hike was given to her very hard - she was pregnant. Births passed very hard, and on June 17, 1631 after the birth of his fourteenth child, she died.

Mount Shah-Jahan is impossible to describe in words. He did not leave his chambers of 8 days, did not eat anything and did not talk to anyone. During this time, he was very old and drove.

The history of the creation of the Taj Mahal

According to the legend, shortly before the death of Mumtaz-Mahal asked her husband to build the most beautiful mausoleum in the world. It was the only thing that Shah Jahan could now do for her beloved ...

The construction of the Taj Mahala began in 1632 six months after the death of Mumtaz-Mahal and lasts twelve years. At this project went huge funds. Taj Mahal is the most expensive of ever built structures. About 32 million rupees were spent on construction, which is currently comparable to billions of euros. For the building facing, the most pure marble in the world was used, which was mined in Rajasthan province. Shah-Jahan banned using this marble on other construction projects of the Indian Empire.

Because of the construction in the country, hunger began: part of the grain that was intended to the provinces was sent to the construction site to provide the workers.

The construction of the Taj Mahal ended in 1643. After that, the Board of Shah-Jahan lasted for a long time - until 1658. But it was impossible to be called successful. The empire was in a very difficult economic situation. The son of Shah-Jahan and Mumtaz-Mahal deprived the father of power. The remainder of Shah-Jahan's life spent in the Red Forte, from the window of which he constantly looked at the tomb of a woman who became love of his life ... He was buried by the great ruler of Mughal next to his beloved wife.

Secrets of construction Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is striking for more than three hundred years. It can rightly be called one of the most ambitious structures in the history of mankind. Ideas and solutions that were used in its construction, just amazing imagination! Especially if you consider that Taj Mahal has been for several centuries. But it is ideal in its beauty and accuracy. Where is the Taj Mahal and why is it worth a visit?

• Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra (about 250 km from Delhi) on the banks of the Jamna River. This place was not the most convenient for the construction of such a structure: the soil is unstable due to the proximity of the water. Therefore, a unique technology was used, which is used only in a somewhat modified form (for example, the use of piles during the construction of skyscrapers in the UAE).

Workers dug deep wells that passed through a layer of groundwater. These wells filled with stones and lime solid. On this foundation, stone columns were erected, associated with each other arches. The foundation plate of the building was placed on this design.

• When designing the Taj Mahal, some were used optical illusions. To get to the territory of the Taj Mahal, you need to go through the arch of the entrance gate, through which the visitor sees the building for the first time. As the arc approaches, it seems that the Taj Mahal is removed. And on the contrary, when the visitor leaves, he sees through the arch, as if the construction approaches. Thus, the effect is created that a person takes the Taj Mahal with him.
• It seems that surprisingly beautiful minarets of the Taj Mahal are located strictly vertically. But here it was not without an optical trick! In fact, they are slightly rejected on the parties from the building. If they were strictly vertically, it would seem that they are inclined to mausoleum. But in the selected slope is hidden and one more advantage. With the earthquake, minarets would have collapsed on the parties from the Taj Mahal, did not touch him.
• Taj Mahal combines the best elements of memorials built earlier by representatives of Mughal dynasty: minarets, dome, four angular towers and four portals.
• The tomb, which is located under the main dome of the Taj Mahala is not a real burial place Mumtaz-Mahal. The real tomb is located in the secret marble hall under the mausoleum. This was done so that no one disturbed the chief of the palace. In the Qur'an it is said that it is impossible to break peace of the deceased.

Pietra fool

The trim inside the Taj Mahal was performed on the technique of Pietra's fool, which fell into India from Italy. Amazing stone flowers made of gems decorate the walls of the halls and other elements of the building. Therefore, the Taj Mahal inside is similar to the jewelry box.

Currently, in Indian workshops you can see this art cutting on stone. And the technology over the past few centuries has not changed completely.

Religious symbolism of the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal depicts earthly and afterlife In accordance with the representations of Islam. The whole complex is divided into 2 parts. The earthly part consists of bazaars and caravan sheds, and the afterlife is from the paradise garden and the Mausoleum. The pond and entrance doors located between these two parts symbolize the transition from one world to another.

Also very symbolic color decoration of the Taj Mahal. The structures of the earth are made of red sandstone. White color is used only for the mausoleum and symbolizes spirituality and faith.

Eight halls are located in the mausoleum, which symbolize the eight gates of Paradise described in the Quran and one central - in it there is a tomb of Mumtaz-Mahal.

What you need to know tourists

The entire complex is acquired by a reliable wall, and at the entrance is a thorough check of visitors for the presence of prohibited things: food, lighters, cigarettes, chewing gum, mobile phones. So it is better to leave them in the hotel.

Photo: Wikipedia, Muhammad Mahdi Karim, Vetra,

Address: India, Agra
Start of construction: 1632 year
Ending construction: 1653 year
Architect: Fastener Ahmad Lahauri
Height: 72 M.
Coordinates: 27 ° 10 "30.5" N 78 ° 02 "31.4" E

As soon as the famous Mausoleum Taj Mahal was not called! Famous Indian poet Rabindranat Tagore wrote about the Taj Mahahal that this monument is "a tear, sparkling on the face of eternity."

Taj Mahal from a bird's eye view

In 1983, Mausoleum was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and was recognized as the best example of Indo-Muslim architecture.

Taj Mahal is a legend of love frozen in marble

In the history of the white graded masterpiece, the facts and legends worked closely, but most historians converge in the opinion that the tomb was built in the 1630s. About the order of the emperor of the Great Mughal - Shah-Jahan in memory of the untimely died spouse Mumtaz-Mahal. Loves got married when the beautiful Mumtaz-Mahal was 19 years old. Shah-Jahan loved only her and did not notice other women. The emperor's wife became his closest adviser, participated in the conduct of public affairs and accompanied her husband in all military campaigns. The spouses had 13 children, and during the birth of the 14th child, Mumtaz-Mahal died. The emperor sat for a long time at his wife's mortal bed, tirelessly mourning her. The Shah-Jahan killed grief went, declared two-year-old mourning in the country and decided to build in the agra - the capital of the Empire of the Great Mughal, on the banks of the river Jamna Mausoleum, which are not there on Earth, there was no and will not. 22. long year The construction continued. More than 20,000 people participated in it, among them builders from the whole empire, masters from Venice Persia, Central Asia and arab East. According to the legend, the ruler was so amazed by the grandeur and perfection of the tomb, which ordered his hands to cut off his hands to the chief architect - advocate, so that he could not repeat his masterpiece.

View of the Taj Mahal from the garden

Some scientists believe that the Mausoleum was designing Shah-Jahan himself, passionately fond of architecture. He gave his creation name, consonant with the name of the deceased spouse - Taj Mahal ("Crown Palace"). On another bank, the Lord of the Lord was going to build the same mausoleum for himself, but from black marble, and the openwork bridge made of gray marble, peroxided across the river, was going to combine these two buildings. But the ideas of the emperor were not realized. Soon the fierce struggle for power was unfolded during which Aurangzeb is the son of Shah-Jahan Survy Father from the throne and sharpened him into the Red Fort for 9 years, after which the prisoner died and was buried next to his wife in Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal Architecture

Today, the white gradual monument of the Great Love, the "Pearl of Indian Architecture" is one of the most important attractions of India. In 2007, Taj Mahal entered list of new seven wonders of light compiled after a survey of more than 100 million votes. The majestic five-core mausoleums with 4 minarets in the corners rise at the 74-meter height on the white plating platform and, reflecting in the fixed glads of artificial reservoir, as if he boot over the earth like a fabulous mirage.

Taj Mahal from the opposite shore of the Jamna River

His walls laid out of polished marble, in a bright sunny day shine white, at sunset railing and pink shine emitted, and in lunar night - Silver. This marble was taken for construction for 300 km from Rajasthan. In the inlair of the walls used precious stones and gems; A decor with quotes from the Quran is made of black marble. Malachite was brought from Russia, carnelian - from Baghdad, turquoise - from Tibet, sapphires and rubies - from Siam, Lyapis-azure - from Ceylon, Chrisolite - from the coast of Nile. The symmetry is perfectly observed in the ensemble architecture. It is disturbed only by the Tomb of Shah-Jahan, which was built after his death, much later tombstones of Mumtuz-smeared, located strictly in the middle of the Mausoleum.

Symbols hidden in the layout of the Mausoleum

Taj Mahal has many characters. For example, in the park, framing an architectural ensemble, cypresses are growing - the personification of sadness in Islam, and at the entrance gate Ayata (revelations) from the Quran, addressed to believers and ending with the words "enter my paradise!". Thus, it is possible to understand the plan of Shah-Jahan - he built a paradise where his beloved will live. The modern researchers argue that Mounty from Grief, the emperor decided to approach the divine knowledge, creating paradise on earth. Sometimes Shah-Jahan said that he was building the throne to Allah himself.

Facade fragment Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal under threat of disappearance

Currently, the creation of medieval architects comes in decline. Cracks appeared on the walls of the Taj Mahal, he loses his shining whiteness due to contaminated airAnd minarets deviated from the vertical axis by 3 mm and in the future can be collapsed. River Jamna Cheleet, and this can lead to a change in the soil structure and settling the foundation. Nevertheless, despite all the threats of destruction, the magnificent Taj Mahal has existed for more than 350 years, attracting millions of guests from all over the planet with their romantic legend and architectural perfection.

The girl, which Indian Prince Jahan once saw on the market, was so beautiful that he immediately brought her to the palace, making his beloved wife: Mumtaz Mahal managed so much her husband, on other women he did not look until her death. At the same time, she did not sit at home, always accompanied him in military campaigns and was the only person In the world to which he trusted and with whom he often consulted.

This gives reason to say that the story that Mumtaz was plebeian origin - far from the reality of the myth. In fact, she had a noble origin, he was a daughter of Vizier and was a far-relative of Mother Jakhan, and therefore received extremely a good education (Otherwise, constructive advice, a young woman could give a challenged if).

Together they lived about seventeen years, during this time Mumtaz nodied her husband fourteen children, and during childbirth last child died. At first she was buried in the city in which she died, in Burkhan Nure, and six months later, her remains sent to one of the most prosperous cities of India, Agru. It was here that the luckless widower decided to build a tomb for his wife, who should have become worthy of Mumtaz and one of his appearance would tell the descendants of incredible love.

In which the city of Mausoleum Taj Mahal ("Taj" means "crown", "Mahal" - "Palace") was decided almost immediately: a suburb of agra, one of the most beautiful and developed cities of India, located on the banks of the river, approached for this the best way. To be able to build a mosque on the selected territory, Shahu Jakhan had to exchange this site to the palace, located in the center of Agra.

He did not have to regret it: this terrain near the city was not only extremely beautiful and picturesque, but also turned out to be seismically sustainable - for the years past after completion construction work Earthquakes to apply serious damage to the construction.

The main building was designed by the Turkish architect of Ismail Afadi from Ottoman Empire, and the creator architectural image The monument is considered his compatriot of Usatada ISU - it is their projects like Jakhan most. The choice of ruler was successful: the erected Taj Mahal (Agra) was one of the most outstanding monuments The world, successfully combining the styles of Indian, Persian and Islamic directions, and was recently recognized as one of the wonders of the world.

Construction tomb

The Taj Mahal began to erect in 1632 and the construction lasted twenty-one (while the tomb was completed ten years earlier). To build this unique complex, more than 20 thousand workers from all over India were involved in construction work, as well as architects, artists, sculptors from nearby countries.

The territory near the city (Agra) in the size of 1.2 hectares was repaired, after which, in order to reduce the soil flowability, soil was replaced. The level scheduled for the construction of the platform mosque was raised 50 meters above the shore. After that, the workers digged the wells, filled them with a boob, having received the foundation that, moreover, had to play the role of a peculiar cushion during earthquakes and would not give a complex to collapse.

Interesting fact: Instead of bamboo forests, architects decided to use brick forests: it was easier to work with heavy marble. Stone forests looked so impressive that architects were afraid that they would take several years to disassemble them. Jahan found a way out of the situation, declaring that any resident of Agra can pick up the right amount Bricks - and scaffolding were disassembled in a few days.

To deliver the building materials to the mosque, the Hindus built a common inclined excavation platform, according to which the bulls were dragged to like that were located on specially designed carts. Delivered them to the city from all over India (and not only). The most important construction material - Marble white color They brought to the city of Macran and Rajasthan, which were at a distance of 300 km from Agra.

Raised marble boulders on the desired height using special devices. The water needed for construction work was first mined from the river, after which they were merged into the reservoir, where she climbed into a special reservoir and headed through the pipes to the construction site.

Architectural complex

All buildings of the architectural complex Taj Mahal, Agra from a geometric point of view were extremely planned. The central building of the complex is the mausoleum, telling about the history of the love of the ruling couple of India. It is surrounded by a miracle of light from three sides built from red sandstone toothed walls, leaving, thus open to view the possibility of only from the river.

Taj Mahal's tomb, the Agra is surrounded by several more tombs, in which other ruler wives were buried (they were also erected from red sandstone, which was often used with the construction of the crypts of that time). Nearby from the main mausoleum is a music house (now there is a museum).

The main gates, like the main building, are made of marble, the entrance is decorated with an opening porticity of white color, from above - eleventh domes, on the sides are two towers with white domes. On both sides of the central tomb, two large structures were built from red sandstone: the building on the left of the inhabitants of Agry used as a mosque, and the right service was served. They built them for balance - so that during the earthquake did not destroy anything.

A luxury park is located in front of the mausoleum, the length of which is 300 meters. In the midst of the park, the irrigation canal lined with marble, in the center of which was built a pool in which the mausoleum is fully reflected (tracks lead to four miners).

According to eyewitness descriptions, in the former times Agra and her park hit the abundance of vegetation: roses, daffodils grew here, a huge number of garden trees. After India was under British Empire, its kind has changed significantly - and she began to be like an ordinary English lawn.

What a tomb looks like

The main construction of this architectural complex, which is located in the city of Agra, is the Taj Mahal built from the White Marble Mausoleum. It is best viewed from the river, since the wall from this side is not installed.

Especially gorgeous it looks at dawn: the tomb is reflected in the water, creating an illusion of unreality and, if you look at it from the opposite shore, it seems that it is a miracle soar in the predestal fog, and the appeared rays create on the walls amazing game colors.

Such airiness and feeling of the "parity" of Mausoleum gives first of all the unusual proportions, when the height of the building has the same dimensions as its width, as well as a huge dome, which would like smaller elements of the structure - four small dome and minarets.

Mausoleum Taj Mahal, Agra tells the world about the wonderful history of love between Jahan and Mumtaz Mach, and has incredible beauty. The height and width of the mausoleum is 74 meters. The facade of the tomb of the square shape, while the semicircular niches are built into it, giving a massive building a weightless look. Mausoleum marble dome with a height of 35 meters, in shape resembling a bulb.

The top of the dome decorates a month, the horns of which are directed upwards (until the XIX century. It was gold, and then he was replaced by an accurate copy made of bronze).

At the corners of the tomb, emphasizing the form of the main dome are four smaller vaults that completely repeat it. At the corners of the mausoleum, under a slight inclination in the opposite side of the face, there are four decorated gilding tower (minaret) with a height of about 50 m (the tilt was provided at an early stage of construction work so that they could not harm the main construction in the fall).

The walls of the Taj Mahal (Agra) are painted with a subtle pattern and elevated from white marble with gems inserted into it (only 28 species precious stones). Especially many decorating elements can be seen on the pedestals, gates, mosques, as well as at the bottom of the mausoleum.

Thanks to the unique mramor of the mausoleum throughout the day, it looks different: in the afternoon the tomb of white, at dawn - pink, and the lunar night becomes silver. Earlier entrance doors They were made of pure silver, but later, as many other valuable decor elements were stolen (by whom - a story silent).

Inside view

Inside the Taj Mahal (Agra city) looks no less remarkable than outside. The entrance to the mausoleum decorates the gallery with elegant columns. The hall inside the tomb is an octagon, in which you can get from any side of the tomb (now it can be done only on the side of the park). Inside the hall behind the marble screen, two sarcophagus made of white marble are in reality, which are false tombs, because the graves themselves are under the floor.

On the sarcophagus lid, the ruler's wife is knocked out praising her inscriptions. The only asymmetric element in the entire complex is Jakhan's sarcophagus, which was installed after his death: the ruler's coffin is a little more than the coffin of his wife. The height of the walls inside the building is 25 m, and the ceiling decorated with the sun is made in the form of an internal dome.

All space inside the hall is separated by eight arches, over which you can read quotes from the Quran. Four medium arches form balconies with windows through which light comes into the hall (except for these windows, the sun rays fall into the room through special holes in the roof). On the second floor of the mausoleum can be climbed by one of two lateral stairs. Walls inside the tomb everywhere are decorated with mosaics from gems that form various symbols, Plants, Flowers, letters.

Death of Jakhan

After completing the construction of the Taj Mahal, Agra of the Son of the ruler, Aurangzeb, Survy Father from the throne and planted into the dungeon in which former ruler He spent several years (according to one of the legends, her windows went to the beloved spouse built by them).

After the death of Jakhan, the son fulfilled the will of his father and buried him next to his wife. So the story of love ended, the memory of herself in a unique building, which stands and is still being captured.

One of the most wonderful creations of human hands, a place that attracts every year millions of people from all over the world is a majestic and beautiful Taj Mahal - rightfully is a real symbol of India.

Construction history

Taj Mahal is an amazing snow-white structure, which was built as a tomb for the third and beloved wife of the great Mogoli Emperor Shah Jakhan Mumtaz Mahal, on the banks of the Jamna River in Agra. Despite the numerous harem, the emperor loved the Mumtaz Mahal most. She gave him thirteen children, and died in 1631, when the fourteenth appearance. The ruler burned heavily after the death of his beloved wife, so he ordered to collect the most skilled masters of the time to create a mausoleum, which would be a symbol of his endless love for Mumtaz. Construction was started in 1632 and lasted for more than 20 years: the main complex was completed by 1648, and the secondary buildings and the garden were completed five years later. A kind of "prototypes" of this grand tomb of Guri-Amir - Mausoleum Tamerlana, the Rodonarchist of the Mogolsky rulers dynasty, located in Samarkand, Jam Masjid's mosque in Delhi, as well as the tomb of Humayun - one of the Mogoli rulers.

Architectural miracle

Taj Mahal is made in the traditional Persian style and is a complex of luxurious and majestic structures built from white marble. The main place in it occupies the Mausoleum itself, located in the center of the site. It has a cube shape with "cut" corners and is crowned with a huge dome. The construction stands on a square "pedestal", on four corners of which are high minarets. Mausoleum inside has a large number of Rooms and halls decorated with amazing mosaic painted with thin patterns and vessels ornaments. In one of these rooms and the coffin Mumtaz Mahal. And next to him - the coffin and Shah Jakhan himself, who wished to be buried next to his beloved after death. Initially, the ruler was going to build precise copy Tombs on the other shore jamna for themselves, only from black marble, but he could not realize his idea of \u200b\u200blife, so he bequeathed to bury himself in Taj Mahahal next to his wife. But it is worth noting that both of these coffins are empty, and the real burial place is in the underground sclepe.

Initially, the mausoleum was decorated huge number Precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, and his main door was made of pure silver. But, unfortunately, until our time, all these treasures are practically not preserved, "darkening" in pockets are not very honest "tourists".

From three sides, Taj Mahal is surrounded by an excellent park, the gate to which is also an architectural masterpiece. Through the park to the main entrance, roads running along a wide channel. And on both sides of the mausoleum there are two mosques.

Translated from the Persian language "Taj Mahal" means the "crown of all palaces". And he is truly a "pearl of Muslim art in India and one of the world-famous world heritage masterpieces."

Taj Mahal was listed World Heritage UNESCO in 1983.

It should also be noted that officially tourists are allowed to photograph Taj Mahal only on the one hand - opposite the central entrance.

On a note

• Location: Agra city, 200 km from Delhi.
• How to get there: by train or express to the railway station "Agra Cantt."
• Official website: www.tajmahal.gov.in
• Opening hours: Daily from 6.00 to 19.00, except Friday. Two days before and two days after the full moon, the mausoleum is open in the evening hours - from 20.30 to midnight.
• Tickets: foreigners - 750 rupees, local residents - 20 rupees, children under 15 years old - free. Tickets for visiting at night are purchased per day.