The Taj Mahal, located in the city of Agra on the banks of the Yamuna River, is a symbol of India. Below are some curiosities so you can get to know him better.
1. A declaration of love
The Taj Mahal symbolizes Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's love for his favorite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum – also known as Mumtaz Mahal – who died while she was giving birth to her fourteenth child. The building is, in effect, a funerary monument in honor of his wife.
2. Crown
The word "Taj" comes from Persian and means "crown", while "Mahal" is the diminutive of Mumtaz Mahal, the formal name that Arjumand Banu Begum had at court, whose translation is "first lady of the palace". Thus, the name of the building refers to Mahal's crown.
3. Men and elephants
The construction of the Taj Mahal took about 23 years (between 1631 and 1654). The ambitious design required the force of about 20 thousand people who worked day and night and a thousand elephants that were used as means of transportation.
4. Colors
The main material of the building is pure marble imported from Rajasthan, Tibet, Afghanistan and China. A curiosity is that it acquires different shades depending on the time of day and the intensity of the sun, so it can appear whiter, pinker or more golden.
5. (Almost) perfect symmetry
One of the distinctive elements in the construction of the Taj Mahal is symmetry. However, the emperor's tomb breaks the balance, since, following the traditions of the time, it is larger than that of his wife.
6. More than a mausoleum
Although the best-known part of the place is the white marble mausoleum, the Taj Mahal is a 17-hectare building complex also made up of a mosque, a guest house and large gardens.
7. A marvel
It was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World along with Chichen Itza (Mexico), the Colosseum (Italy), Christ the Redeemer (Brazil), the Great Wall of China (China), Machu Picchu (Peru) and Petra (Jordan).
