Situated by the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, the Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture. One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal makes everyone wonder about the intensive process it went through to become what it is today – a sight to behold. It just takes one glance at the beautifully constructed white marble structure to instill curiosity in one’s mind. Read along to get your mind blown by 13 interesting facts about the architectural marvel – the Taj Mahal.
1. Shah Jahan himself actively participated in the design process
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According to a seventeenth-century manuscript, Ustad Ahmad Lahori was the chief architect of the Taj Mahal. As mentioned in the official Mughal histories, a team of thirty-seven designers and architects worked together under Ustad Ahmad Lahori to design the Taj Mahal as we see it today. It is accepted by most historians that the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan played an active role in the design. Shah Jahan’s court accounts confirm the fact that he held everyday gatherings with the designers to discuss the design at each stage of development.
2. The Taj Mahal was conceived as a replica on earth of the house of Mumtaz Mahal in paradise
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In memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal to house her tomb. Its construction began in 1631 AD and was completed in 1653 AD. This theme informs the planning and designing of the entire complex. It stands as a testimony to his intense love for his wife. It could be said that the Taj Mahal was constructed to stand the test of time due to its magnificence and allure. The architect’s thought must have been to design an unforgettable mausoleum that reflects the greatness of the Mughals during that era.
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The Taj Mahal is built in Indo-Islamic style which is a beautiful amalgamation of Indian, Persian, and Islamic architectural styles. Hindu chhatris (an umbrella-like structure) situated at the dome base from the corners paves the way for blending Indian architecture with Islamic architecture.
4. There are about 20,000 types of stones used in the Taj Mahal
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There is a hierarchical use of red sandstone and white marble which is symbolic of ancient Indian traditions that recommend white stone buildings for brahmins and red stone for Kshatriyas. In Persian architecture, red sandstone was considered to be the exclusive color of imperial users. These two stones are used in abundance as they were mostly transported from neighboring towns. The other materials used are brick in-lime mortar and inlay work of various precious and semi-precious stones.
5. The Taj Mahal is almost perfectly symmetrical
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The principles of Mughal architecture during the Shah Jahan period are most grandly and most consistently expressed in the Taj Mahal. The following are a few basic principles of designing the Taj Mahal.
1. Rational and strict geometry.
2. Perfect symmetrical planning with an emphasis on bilateral symmetry along a central axis of the main features.
3. A hierarchical grading of materials, forms, and colors.
4. Triadic divisions bound together in proportional formulas. These determine the shape of plans, elevations, and architectural ornament.
5. Uniformity of shapes, ordered by hierarchical accents.
6. Sensuous attention to detail.
7. A selective use of naturalism.
8. Symbolism.
6. The Taj Mahal complex is efficiently divided into 5 sections
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The bank of the river Yamuna allows the magnificent structure to tower over its surroundings having an open sky as a perfect backdrop. The moonlight garden to the north of the river Yamuna.
a) The riverfront terrace, containing the Mausoleum, Mosque, and Jawab.
b) The Charbagh garden containing pavilions.
c) The jilaukhana for the tomb attendants and two subsidiary tombs.
d) The Taj Ganj, originally a bazaar and caravanserai only traces of which are still preserved. The great gate lies between the jilaukhana and the garden. Levels gradually descend in steps from the Taj Ganj toward the river.
The Taj Mahal is a perfectly symmetrical planned building with an emphasis on bilateral symmetry along a central axis on which the main features are placed. In the mausoleum, the plan is expressed in perfect cross-axial symmetry such that the structure is focused on the central tomb chamber. And the inner organization is reflected on the facades, which present a perfectly balanced composition when seen from the extensions of the axes which generate the plan.
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The Char Bagh (Four Gardens) starts from the end of the main gateway and ends near the square base of the mausoleum. Its magnificent scale elaborates on the concept of a garden in paradise. A paradise that, according to Islamic beliefs, consists of four rivers: one of water, one of milk, one of honey, and one of wine. And it is from this concept that Char Bagh of the Taj Mahal originated. Since four is considered the holiest number in Islam, all the arrangements of the Charbagh Garden of the Taj Mahal are based on four or its multiples. The entire garden is divided into four parts, with two marble canals studded with fountains crossing in the center. In each quarter portion, 16 flowerbeds have been divided by stone-paved raised pathways. It is said that even each of the flowerbeds was planted with 400 plants. At the center of the garden, between the Taj and its gateway, is a raised marble lotus tank with a cusped border, which reflects the Taj in its waters. The four walkways are identical but differentiated through their context.
8. The dome is more than 40 m high and 4 m thick, yet it seems to float over the marble façade
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The Taj Mahal is recognized for its sumptuous onion dome. The top of the dome is decorated with a lotus design, which also serves to accentuate its height. The dome is emphasized using chhatris. The dome is self-supporting, with no reinforcing struts or columns. The weight of the dome is transferred directly downwards to the massive masonry below.
9. The four pillars or minarets are tilted outwards rather than standing straight
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The four minarets, each more than 39m tall were initially designed as working minarets to be used by the muezzin to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower. At the top of the tower is a final balcony surmounted by a chattri that mirrors the design of those on the tomb.
10. One type of column, called the Shahjahani column is used in the entire complex
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It has a multi-faceted shaft, a capital built up from miniature arches, concave elements, and a base with four multi-cusped arched panels. Proportions and details of the columns vary according to their position in the complex; simplest in the bazaar streets, larger and richer in the funerary area.
11. The Taj Mahal houses one of the most impressive riverfront platforms in the history of architecture
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The Riverfront Terrace (Chabutra) is the terrace of the Taj Mahal. It is the most ambitious Mughal riverfront garden scheme and is unprecedented in its size and decoration. Its full splendor is displayed towards the river, where it forms an uninterrupted red sandstone band with elaborate decoration in relief and inlay work. The riverfront terrace was the first part of the Taj Mahal complex to be built.
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a. Calligraphic inscriptions:
Arabic inscriptions in black marble are used to decorate both the south gateway and the main mausoleum. The black marble lettering is inlaid into white marble scroll-like borders that frame the architectural features. Sweeping letters and a strong emphasis on horizontal and vertical strokes create an almost grid-like effect in places. Throughout the complex, passages from the Quran are used as decorative elements.
b. Inlays:
Herringbone inlays define the space between many of the adjoining elements. White inlays are used in sandstone buildings and dark or black inlays are on white marble. Mortared areas of the marble buildings have been stained or painted in contrasting colors, creating geometric patterns of considerable complexity. Floors and walkways use contrasting tiles or blocks in tessellation patterns. The inlay stones are of yellow marble, jasper, and jade polished and leveled to the surface of the walls.
13. It took 20,000 workers and artisans 22 years to build the Taj Mahal
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Building commenced about 1632. More than 20,000 workers were employed from India, Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Europe to complete the mausoleum itself by about 1638–39; the adjunct buildings were finished by 1643, and decoration work continued until at least 1647. A 15-kilometer tamped-earth ramp was built to transport marble and materials to the construction site and teams of twenty or thirty oxen pulled the blocks on specially constructed wagons. An elaborate post-and-beam pulley system was used to raise the blocks into the desired position. Water was drawn from the river by a series of purs, an animal-powered rope, and a bucket mechanism, into a large storage tank and raised to a large distribution tank. It was passed into three subsidiary tanks, from which it was piped to the complex.
These are some of the interesting facts of the Taj Mahal, which is one of the magnificent monuments in India. These fascinating facts about Taj Mahal therefore makes it one of the 7 wonders of the world.
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Text provided by Naba Ansari-
Naba Ansari is an architecture student who finds solace in books, crafting design narratives that bridge imagination and reality. She rejoices in life's subtleties, reflecting them in both her architectural visions and personal pursuits. Nature, words, and design shape her journey through life.
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