Who made it?
A team of architects worked together to design this building, most likely led by chief architect, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, during the years 1632-1653.
A team of architects worked together to design this building, most likely led by chief architect, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, during the years 1632-1653.
Where is the REAL one?
The real building can be seen in Agra, India.
Why is this artwork important?
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal Empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their 14th child. A year later, the Taj Mahal was designed to be her mausoleum, or tomb. Taking more than twenty years to complete, the building employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen. It is widely recognized as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architecture.
The Taj Mahal is constructed of white marble and contains elaborate decoration on both the inside (interior) and outside (exterior) of the building. This includes inlayed semi-precious stones, abstract and geometric forms, bas relief of flowers and vines, and calligraphy with lines taken from the Qur'an, which is the holy book of the Islam religion. There are also complex gardens outside the Taj Mahal, which are considered an important architectural and symbolic feature of this building.
The real building can be seen in Agra, India.
Why is this artwork important?
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal Empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their 14th child. A year later, the Taj Mahal was designed to be her mausoleum, or tomb. Taking more than twenty years to complete, the building employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen. It is widely recognized as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architecture.
The Taj Mahal is constructed of white marble and contains elaborate decoration on both the inside (interior) and outside (exterior) of the building. This includes inlayed semi-precious stones, abstract and geometric forms, bas relief of flowers and vines, and calligraphy with lines taken from the Qur'an, which is the holy book of the Islam religion. There are also complex gardens outside the Taj Mahal, which are considered an important architectural and symbolic feature of this building.
