Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal means "crown of palaces" and is one of

the seven wonders of the world. It was built
between 1631 and 1653 in Agra, India. It is a
mausoleum dedicated to Emperor Shah Jahan's
favorite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, known as
Mumtaz Mahal. Discover its main characteristics,
history and meaning.
View from the Yamuna River. From left to right:
Jabaz, mausoleum and mosque.
Iconic features of the Taj Mahal
It is a model of engineering and architectural
solutions.
To build the Taj Mahal, it was not only necessary to
achieve a very high level of beauty. It was
necessary to create an almost eternal structure,
which would reflect Jahan's love for his favorite
wife, and it was also necessary to do it quickly.
Such was the emperor's despair!
For this reason, they turned to various architects,
including Ustad Ahmad Lahauri and Ustad Isa, in
order to develop the different stages of the project.
Thus, everyone had to work to find solutions to the
emperor's demands, which were not easy to meet.
Foundation foundation
The Taj Mahal is bordered on one side by the
Yamuna River. The proximity of the river
represented a technical challenge for its builders,
since the penetration of water into the earth made it
unstable. Therefore, the builders had to come up
with an innovative foundation system.
Foundations of the Taj Mahal.
The solution was applied in the following way: they
dug wells to find the water level. Then, over the
wells they placed a base of stones and mortar,
except for one that they left open to monitor the
water level. On this basis, they created a system of
stone columns linked by arches. Finally, on these
they arranged a large loss of lift, which functions as
a base for the great mausoleum.
Complex structure
From an architectural point of view, the Taj Mahal
is conceived as a complex of several buildings
structured and arranged around the mausoleum, the
center of all the concerns of the Mughal emperor.
Thus, it is made up of different buildings and
architectural elements.