<p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Taj-Mahal_1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1885" src="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Taj-Mahal_1-300x204.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://www.alltop10list.com/top-10-list-of-most-tourists-attractive-place-in-asia/">http://www.alltop10list.com/top-10-list-of-most-tourists-attractive-place-in-asia/</a></p>
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The Taj Mahal, also known as Tadj Mahall(Encyclopedia Britannica), is a symbol of love that was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal during the 17th century. The Taj which means crown (Bartholet, Jeffrey), was built in order to immortalize the emperors beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal(“Chosen of the palace”) that died at child birth(Encyclopedia Britannica). The Taj Mahal must be preserved for future generations in order to remember the symbol of love represented by monumental artistic architecture.</p>
The Mughal Empire was at the height of its dominion when Shah Jahan became the emperor. Shah Jahan grandfather, Akbar, had brought wealth and dominion to northern India. “Akbar defeated the Afghans and firmly established Mughal supremacy in northern India, bringing the empire to the height of its power and wealth. He was the Grand Mughal, renowned even in the most distant corners of the civilized world.” (<a href="http://www.pbs.org">www.pbs.org</a>) The Mughal empire was able to succeed due to Akbar, because with the wealth came the interest of arts and progress in architecture. It was Shah Jahan father, Jahangir, who brought the interest in arts and inspired a golden age in the Mughal Empire. With the immense power and wealth, it became tradition for Mughal emperors to demonstrate their power with palaces and art. It is from this era that the English word mogul was created, as someone that has much power and wealth. (<a href="http://www.pbs.org">www.pbs.org</a>) The Taj Mahal took over 20,000 workers under the chief architect Ahmad Lahawri. Construction started in 1632 and was finalized by 1647(Encyclopedia Britannica). “Stone carvers and brick layers, calligrapher and masters of gemstones inlay lapis lazuli came from Afghanistan, jade from China, coral from Arabia and rubies from Sri Lanka.”( Bartholet, Jeffrey)

The Mughal period marked a time of enrichment for architectures and art, implementing various styles. “Under the patronage of Mughal emperors, Persian, Indian, and various provincial styles were fused to produce works of unusual quality and refinement.”( Swati Chattopadhyay) The first of its style was the tomb of emperor Humayun at Delhi which showed strong Persian influence. Then, under emperor Akbar, came the monumental Victory Gate “one of the finest mosques of the Mughal period.”(Swati Chattopadhyay) The height of its era came under Shah Jahan with the magnificent Taj Mahal which had Persian influence like the tomb of Humayun. “The use of the double dome, a recessed archway inside a rectangular fronton, and park like surrounding are all typical of Shah Jahan period buildings. Symmetry and balance between the parts of a building were always stressed, while the delicacy of detail in Shah Jahan decorative work has seldom been surpassed.”( Swati Chattopadhyay) The Taj Mahal is a monument of love that has not been surpassed by any other palace of its origin; it is unique for the period, and original in detail to its style.

Although the Taj is beautiful, it was never completed, as Shah Jahan intended to build another palace across the river connecting it by a bridge to the Taj Mahal. The idea was that the Taj Mahal would be the tomb of his wife and the second building would be the tomb of Shah Jahan. But, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzed, and was imprisoned in the Agra fort (Encyclopedia Britannica). “According to legend, Shad Jahan spent the last eight years of his life starring at the Taj Mahal through a window at the fort. On January 22, 1666, he died and joined his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal, at the Taj Mahal.”(Myers, Alice) During the time of Shah Jahan’s son, Aurengzed, the arts and architecture decline in the Mughal Empire due to Aurangzed Muslim believe that “Islam in India was in danger of being spiritually diluted by heresy and heterodoxy.” (Hambly, Gavin R. G.)

If there were ever two reigns that could be compared for that era it would be Luis XIV and Shah Jahan, as they both brought arts and culture to their empires. Under their reigns two splendid palaces were build, the palace of Versailles and the Taj Mahal. They are both share eloquent gardens and immense use of space. Versailles palace demonstrates different themes for each room as it is larger than the Taj Mahal. There are rooms in the palace of Versailles that are dedicated to past kings and to victorious wars, but the most luxuries room would be the Galerie Des Glaces(Hall of Mirrors). The Hall of Mirrors is surrounded with magnificent “frescos, marble pilasters, and gilded bronze capitals, and furnished with ornate candelabra and bejeweled trees.”(Fiero) mirrors were used to face the windows that open into the garden which created a “brilliant counterpoint of image and reflection.”(Fiero) The gardens at Versailles feature more geometric shapes, sparkling fountains, artificial lakes, gottoes, zoos, theaters and outdoor rooms.(Fiero) The Taj Mahal smaller in size is more complex structures than the palace of Versailles. “These structures include the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khaana or guest house and the Rauza or mausoleum.”(<a href="http://www.agrahub.com">www.agrahub.com</a>)  The Taj Mahal is made of marble which changes colors depending of the time of the day (“Marble is of crystalline composition, allowing light to enter rather deeply before it is reflected”). (Bartholet, Jeffrey) The Taj also depicts geometric figures but as piedra dura, which is a style of inlaying precious stones. These stones represent inscriptions from the Quran and designs of flowers and plants (<a href="http://www.agrahub.com">www.agrahub.com</a>). Both of these palaces use fountains to mirror images, although, the Taj Mahal uses the tree line pool to create an illusion that the mausoleum is floating, while the fountains at Versailles are used to mirror the sculptures (Fiero). These two palaces were exclusive for its time, even though, they both served different purposes. Versailles was the king’s palace while the Taj was a burial monument for love.

During the nineteenth century the Taj Mahal became a favored picnic site between colonial Englishmen, who though of the place as a romantic monument rather than a tomb. The iconicity that the Englishmen gave to the Taj Mahal became popular culture around the world and it is now seen as a symbol for love and Hindu culture (Swati Chattopadhyay). The Taj is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and it is now one of the most visited tourist attractions known. “In 1983, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, And Cultural organization(UNESCO) designated the Taj Mahal a World Heritage Site, a recognition given to a place or building of major import to the common heritage of human kind and, thus, worthy of preservation.”(Myers, Alice)

I consider this to be one of the most splendid buildings in the world and would love to have the opportunity to some day visit the Taj Mahal.  It is without a doubt one of the most popular sites in the world, everyone has seen the beautiful mausoleum reflected from the pool on a picture or on a commercial. This is worth preserving for the future generations to understand the beauty of love in a different era and to value the Islamic culture. It is a monument that future generations must conserve and not let it fall to erosion or deterioration of contaminant as it has happened in the past. (Bartholet, Jeffrey) Measurements have been taken to conserve the Taj Mahal and I hope that its beauty will inspire other to conserve it for the future.

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<p style="text-align: center">Work Cited</p>
• Bartholet, Jeffrey. "Taj Mahal." Smithonian, Article. vol. 42 Issue 5, p44-57. sep 2011
(This article gave great examples of the Architecture and helped with some historical facts.)

• Hambly, Gavin R. G. "Rajut Rebellion." Great Events from History: The Seventeenth Century 1601-1700. Ed. Larissa Juliet Taylor. 2 vols. Salem Press, 2006. Salem History Web. 01 Oct 2011
(This Article gave great historical insight)

• Fiero.
(Used to compare the palace of Versailles to the Taj Mahal)

• Myers, Alice. "Shah Jahan Builds the Taj Mahal." Great Events from History: The Seventeenth Century 1601-1700. Ed. Larissa Juliet Taylor. 2 vols. Salem Press 2006. Salem history web. 01 oct. 2011
(This Article was used to fill historical gaps of the Taj Mahal)

• Swati Chattopadhyay "Taj Mahal."  The Oxford Encyclopedia of Modern World. Ed PeterN. Stearns. Oxford University Press, 2008. Austin Community College. 2 October 2011
(Used this Article to show how the taj was build and its present popularity)

• <a href="http://www.agrahub.com">www.agrahub.com</a>. "Architecture of the Taj Mahal Agra." 2010. Indian Visit Pvt. Ltd. 02 oct 2011
<a href="http://www.agrahub.com/taj-mahal-agra/architecture-of-the-tajmahal.html">http://www.agrahub.com/taj-mahal-agra/architecture-of-the-tajmahal.html</a>
(Used this article to compare the Taj Mahal to the Palace of Versailles)

• <a href="http://www.pbs.org">www.pbs.org</a>. "...the Mughal dynasty" 1995-2011. PBS Foundation. 02 oct 2011.
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/taj_nav/tajnav_level_1/1mughal_tajfrm.html">http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/taj_nav/tajnav_level_1/1mughal_tajfrm.html</a>
(Used this Article to describe the Mughal power)

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