Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal ("Crown of Palaces" in Persian) is probably the world's most iconic monument — one of the planet's most visited sites (8 million annual visitors), UNESCO world heritage since 1983, designated among the 7 Modern Wonders of the World in 2007.

The history is known but worth recalling. The Taj Mahal is a funerary mausoleum commissioned by Mughal emperor Shâh Jahân (1592-1666, 5th Mughal emperor, reigned 1628-1658) for his 3rd wife Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631, born Arjumand Banu Begum) — his favourite, his absolute love, who died at 38 from complications of her 14th childbirth at Burhanpur on 17 June 1631. Construction began in 1632, lasted 22 years (structural completion in 1648, finishes and gardens in 1653), mobilised 20,000 workers, 1,000 elephants. The main architect was Ustad Ahmad Lahori (Iranian origin).

The architecture is an absolute masterpiece. The complex extends over 17 hectares with near-perfect symmetry. Charbagh Mughal garden ("four gardens") 300 m long divided into 4 squares by water canals symbolising the 4 rivers of Muslim Paradise. The central mausoleum, in Makrana white marble (Rajasthan quarry), measures 73 m high, 56 m wide. Four minarets at the corners, slightly inclined outward (1.5° each) to avoid falling on the mausoleum in earthquakes. The white marble is inlaid (parchin kari technique) with 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones — jasper, jade, rock crystal, carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise, agate — forming floral and calligraphic motifs (Quranic verses in Arabic).