Taj Mahal

Palace World Wonders, World

The Taj Mahal (Urdu: تاج محل; Hindi: ताज महल), located in Agra, northern India (state of Uttar Pradesh), is a mausoleum built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal. Although there are many doubts about the name of the architect who designed it, there is generally a tendency to consider Ustad Ahmad Lahauri the father of the work. It has always been considered one of the most remarkable beauties of Muslim architecture in India and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 9 December 1983. In 2007 it was included among the new seven wonders of the world.

The Taj Mahal is considered to be the greatest architectural achievement in the whole range of Indo-Islamic architecture. Its recognised architectonic beauty has a rhythmic combination of solids and voids, concave and convex and light shadow; such as arches and domes further increases the aesthetic aspect. The colour combination of lush green scape reddish pathway and blue sky over it show cases the monument in ever changing tints and moods. The relief work in marble and inlay with precious and semi precious stones make it a monument apart.