Taj Mahal (tɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl)

Taj Mahal - Reflections by DMFW with Midjourney

The Taj Mahal is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 CE by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
Agents from Earth Stable and other parts of the discontinuum, who may very rarely visit Earth Zero generally consider that the Taj Mahal is the finest of many beautiful buildings unique to this evolution.

Architecture

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Indo-Islamic and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb which inspired the Charbagh gardens and hasht-behesht (architecture) plan of the site, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. Buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.

Tourism

The famous building is renowned for its beauty, not only throughout Earth Zero but more widely in the discontinuum. A few fortunate travellers from alien dimensions, visitors from realms unsuspected by the tourists of Earth Zero, mingle undercover in the local crowds.

Founding Date

1631 CE

Type

Monument, Large

Taj Mahal - Golden Light by DMFW with Midjourney

Taj Mahal - Devotion by DMFW with Midjourney