趙婷

· 【中圖分類號(hào)】K935.1

The Pearl of Thailand—Taj Mahal

Located at the city of Agra in India， Taj Mahal is regarded as the 7th wonder of the world， and some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The white marble-domed mausoleum was built in the 17th century by a muslim emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his beloved wife .

Today， Taj Mahal is known as a monument of love. The world-famous poet Tagore says， “Taj Mahal is a drop of tear which is full of love.” There is a beautiful and moving story about this grand building. In the mid-17th century， the Indian prince Shah Jahan fell in love with a beautiful lady named Bano . Bano and Shah Jehan got married in 1612， and over the next 18 years， they had 8 children altogether. The empress used to accompany her husband in his military campaigns， and in 1630， Bano passed away during the childbirth. The emperor was so sad that his hair turned totally white overnight. Finally， he ordered the construction of the most beautiful mausoleum for his queen .Whats more， he kept her company in this mausoleum after his death.

As soon as the construction began in 1630， masons， craftsmen， sculptors and calligraphers came from Persia and Europe to work on the masterpiece. Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years， employing twenty thousand workers. It was totally completed in 1648 at a cost of 32 Million Rupees.

The architectural complex is composed of five main elements： the main gateway， the garden， the mosque， the rest house and the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual Tomb is situated inside the Taj. The Taj stands on a raised， square platform. Each element of the architecture stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. Its central dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. The four graceful， slender towers are 162.5 feet for each. The entire mausoleum （inside as well as outside） is decorated with inlaid design of flowers. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description， particularly at dawn and sunset. In the morning ， Tai Mahal is bathed in smog. At night， the bright moonlight shows the Taj Mahal in all its glory.

Few buildings on earth can compete with the legendary beauty of the Taj Mahal. When you are in front of this great grant building ，you just cant help showing respect to this man-made world-wide wonder

So if you get a chance， Taj Mahal is really a place worth going.