11-08-2017, 04:14 PM
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna River in the Indian city of Agra. He was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reign 1628-1658), to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 42-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guesthouse, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. It is believed that the Taj Mahal complex was completed in 1653, at an estimated cost of about Rs 32 crore, which in 2015 would be approximately Rs 52,800 crore ($ 827 million). The construction project employed about 20,000 craftsmen under the direction of a council of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
The Taj Mahal was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of world heritage." Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as "the bead of tears on the cheek of time", it is considered by many to be the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of the rich history of India. The Taj Mahal attracts 7-8 million visitors a year. In 2007, he was declared the winner of the New7Wonders of the World initiative (2000-2007).
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. It is believed that the Taj Mahal complex was completed in 1653, at an estimated cost of about Rs 32 crore, which in 2015 would be approximately Rs 52,800 crore ($ 827 million). The construction project employed about 20,000 craftsmen under the direction of a council of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
The Taj Mahal was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of world heritage." Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as "the bead of tears on the cheek of time", it is considered by many to be the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of the rich history of India. The Taj Mahal attracts 7-8 million visitors a year. In 2007, he was declared the winner of the New7Wonders of the World initiative (2000-2007).