Impressive Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is considered a symbol of eternal love. Due to its stunning architecture, the palace rightfully belongs to the seven new wonders of the world. Learn more about this impressive palace of love in India here.

Love beyond death - A message that captures the entire world in architectural beauty: The Taj Mahal is India's landmark. This snow-white building, with its round domes, impressive decorations, and expansive gardens, attracts millions of tourists from around the globe each year. Its beauty and uniqueness have led to its designation as one of the seven new wonders of the earth. Couples visit this site in India to experience eternal love, yet the dramatic story of the Taj Mahal shows that immortal love can come at a cost.

Mumtaz Mahal was the great love of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor of India. During childbirth, complications arose, and she died in 1631 while delivering their 14th child - a loss that her husband could hardly bear. As legends say, Mumtaz allegedly expressed on her deathbed that she wished for a unique tomb - thus Shah Jahan dedicated the rest of his life to fulfilling this wish.

Shortly after her death, construction of the Taj Mahal began in Agra, a city of over a million people, three hours from Delhi. It was to be a burial place, like a love poem in stone. Materials from all over India and much of Asia were transported using 1,000 elephants. 28 different types of precious and semi-precious stones were set into the marble: The marble - only the best the world had to offer. The architecture - unlike anything the world had seen before. Several architects blended Persian and Indian elements into an Indo-Islamic masterpiece. Over 20,000 craftsmen from many parts of South and Central Asia labored for more than 17 years on the mausoleum. In 1648, Mumtaz Mahal's last wish was fulfilled, but at what cost?!

Incredible sums of money were invested in the construction of the Taj Mahal, leading to a looming bankruptcy of the state treasury and uprisings among the people. Nevertheless, Shah Jahan pressed on, risking the welfare of his people and was deposed by his own son in 1657. He spent the rest of his life imprisoned in the Red Fort of Agra, a fortress across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal. In 1666, contrary to his wishes, the former emperor was buried next to his wife - thus his original plan to build a tomb of black marble across from the Taj Mahal was ruined.

The shape of the building resembles a mosque - a unique Islamic influence in India at that time, which gives the building its special charm today. The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan is constructed with such immense stability that even the four minarets surrounding the main structure are slightly tilted, protecting them from collapsing onto the main building in an earthquake. Thus, the fascinating monument is shaped by the special Mughal architecture, based on the construction of Indian rulers between the 16th and 19th centuries, and unlike other buildings of its time, was designed with baked bricks inside, surrounded by white marble.

In front of the Taj Mahal lies a vast garden of 18 acres with an elongated water basin in the center - a beautiful and perhaps the most popular photo spot for visitors, one that prevails across all social media channels. The exact appearance of the gardens in the 17th century is not fully known today. In 1908, they were completely restored at the direction of a British Lord and largely replaced with lawn areas.

The Taj Mahal in India has been the most popular destination for newlywed Indian couples, as well as foreign newlyweds, for decades. Visiting this site of love is supposed to make the mutual affection everlasting and reinforce it. Furthermore, this important monument and the Agra Mosque are regular gathering places for Muslim citizens for prayer. However, due to the harmony of its proportions and its artistic value, the Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful and significant examples of Mughal architecture. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since 2007, it has been counted among the seven new wonders of the earth.

Several million tourists visit the Indian mausoleum each year. Therefore, it's hardly possible to take a beautiful picture without numerous tourists in front of the palace. Yet the number of visitors continues to rise. In recent years, security measures have drastically increased due to fears of attacks. The revenues from visitors easily cover the many restorations that are regularly necessary. However, a report in 2007 warned that the Taj Mahal would continually turn yellow due to industrial air pollution, despite all conservation efforts.

But that's not all: The visitors themselves also harm the significant palace. Due to the crowds, there is increased wear and tear on the building materials, so access to the Taj Mahal is to be restricted to 40,000 visitors per day, as decided by the Archaeological Survey of India at the beginning of 2018. A price difference is intended to create an advantage for the Indian population, who can enter the monument for 52 cents, while foreign tourists must purchase a ticket for €12.50, allowing a maximum visit of 3 hours. All these measures are meant to help counteract the decay of the Taj Mahal palace, which, unfortunately, will likely be unavoidable in the long term. Therefore, the Taj Mahal is also on my list of ephemeral travel destinations.

The entire history of the Taj Mahal, from its construction to its current decay, carries a deep tragedy. And yet, this breathtakingly beautiful building has such a uniqueness and great importance for the world. Even today, many people travel to India solely because of the monument, so it is recommended to wake up a little earlier if one wants to feel the original atmosphere and avoid the large tourist crowds. Have you ever visited the Taj Mahal or plan to travel there soon? What do you think of the measures implemented to protect the palace? Share your opinion in the comments.