Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, the Crown of Buildings is a Mausoleum located in the city of Agra, near Delhi. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of India’s greatest tourist attractions. The Taj Mahal is an example of Mughal architecture – a mixture of building design ideas from Islamic Indian, Persian and Muslim arts. The construction of Taj Mahal began in 1632 AD and was completed around 1653 AD. The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is the most spectacular feature. Its height of around 35 meters is about the same as the length of the base, and is accentuated as it sits on a cylindrical “drum” which is roughly 7 meters high. Because of its shape, the dome is often called an onion dome. The top is decorated with a lotus design, which mixes traditional Persian and Hindustani decorative elements. Near Taj Mahal there are several sites including Agra Fort, Buland Darwaja at Fatehpur Sikri, besides Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. I visited several times to these sights of Pride of India.

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