Agra

Within a large Mughal garden spanning about 17 hectares, the Taj Mahal is situated in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh on the right bank of the Yamuna River. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed it in remembrance of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Work began in 1632 and was finished in 1648. The mosque, guest house, and main gateway were located on the south side. Later, in 1653, the outer courtyard and its cloisters were added. A number of historical and Quaranic inscriptions in Arabic script have made it easier to place the Taj Mahal’s chronology. Masons, stonecutters, inlayers, sculptors, calligraphers, painters, dome builders, and other craftspeople were taken from around the empire, as well as from Central Asia and Iran, to build it. The Taj Mahal’s principal architect was Ustad-Ahmad Lahori.

The Taj Mahal is regarded as the pinnacle of architectural achievement. Its well-known architectural beauty is characterised by a rhythmic interplay of light shadow, concave and convex shapes, and solids and voids. Additional aesthetically pleasing features include arches and domes. The rich green landscape, reddish pathway, and blue sky overhead display the monument’s constantly shifting hues and tones. It is a unique monument because of the marble relief work and the inlay of precious and semi-precious stones.