The Taj Mahal. By: Logan and Joey.

Taj Mahal History In the year 1631 Shah Jahan, once a Muslim army commander, the Mogul Emperor in central India lost his beloved pregnant wife Mumtaz Mahal only a few minutes after giving birth to her fourteenth child, a daughter. The final request of his wife was for him not to marry again and prove their endless love by building a dreamlike beautiful mausoleum. As promised, Shan Jahan built the Taj Mahal, in Agra in northern India by the river of Jumna fulfilling the dream of his wife.

Shah Jahan Emperor Shah Jahan, fifth ruler of the Mughal Empire, became the greatest supporter of Indian architecture under the empire, funding magnificent building projects that expressed and celebrated the grandeur of his rule. The Taj Mahal is the most famous of Shah Jahan's projects and was commissioned as a monument and tomb for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child. Completed in 1648 and modeled after a paradise garden, the Taj Mahal also includes the largest inscription project of its time, with 25 quotations from the Koran about the Day of Judgment, divine mercy, and paradise depicted on its gate, tomb, and mosque. Among the magnificent works for which Shah Jahan is known, is the Peacock Throne constructed of gold and hundreds of rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and other precious stones.

Structure and Architecture Slides 5-7

Taj Mahal Dome The tomb is crowned by a giant onion-shaped double dome, decorated with inverted lotus petals, and culminating in a 30 foot metal finial. The dome sits on a high drum and its total height, from the drum’s base to the top of the finial, measures nearly 146 feet.  Four octagonal chattris frame the central dome on all four angles.

Taj Mahal Minaret A minaret is found at each corner of the square, raised marble platform on which the main tomb sits. Each of the slender towers is round, with a base circumference of 64 feet, and tapers as it rises to a height of 131 feet. Made of white marble, outlined in inlaid black stone, the minaret has three stories each of with a projecting balcony and topped by an octagonal chattri with multi-cusped arches. Although no longer used to call the faithful to prayer, each minaret does include a winding, internal staircase that leads up to its gallery.

The Tomb of Mumtaz Mahal The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal is situated on the north end of the funerary complex on a square marble plinth, which is 328 feet on each side and 19 feet high, centered on a sandstone terrace. Set in an enclosed garden that is divided into four quadrants, the tomb is approached from a monumental gateway on the south and overlooks the Yamuna River on the north. It is made of fine white marble, and embellished with carved flowery reliefs and complex decoration work using gemstones, such as lapis lazuli, jasper, turquoise, carnelian, jade, and amethyst.

Bibliography http://www.tajmahal.com/11/places/taj-mahal.htm http://www.flickr.com/photos/medmss/5790857561/sizes/m/in/photostream/ http://www.tajmahal.com/11/places/taj-mahal.htm http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/gallery/photos/20.html http://fr.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-2086852016