About the Taj Mahal
Agra, in India, was first established as the capital of the Mughal Empire by Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. It would be one of Akbar's descendants, however, who left the most lasting imprint on Agra's history.
Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal after the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz, and it was completed in 1648. Construction of the Taj took over 22,000 labourers and 1,000 elephants, and used materials sourced from Sri Lanka, China, Tibet, and Afghanistan.
There are 5 primary structures to the Taj Mahal. The main entrance gateway to the complex, known as 'Darwaza', is wonderfully intricate, but the most famous (and largest) structure is undoubtedly the white Makrana marble mausoleum, framed at each corner by four tall minarets. There is a stunning red sandstone mosque on the western side of the mausoleum (facing Mecca), which is reflected almost exactly on the eastern side by a structure known as Jawab, meaning 'answer'. In front of the mausoleum is the Charbagh Garden, a Persian-style garden divided into four quadrants by walkways and the famous reflecting pool.
It’s hard to underplay the beauty and grandeur of this incredible complex, once described as ‘a teardrop on the cheek of eternity’ by poet Rabindranath Tagore.