Visit to the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is said to be the world's most extravagant monument built for love. It really is impressive and easy to see why it has become India's tourist emblem.

The beautiful white marble mausoleum took 22 years to be built by 20,000 people and was completed in 1653 by Emperor Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child.
The cost to build this architectural masterpiece would have been equivalent today to about $70 million. To protect the Taj from environmental damage, there are no cars allowed in the immediate vicinity. I arrived at sunrise in hopes to get some nice colours in my photos and to avoid the crowds.

I entered the compound through a red sandstone gateway that had verses of the Koran inscribed along it's edges. The gardens in front of the Taj are laid out in classic Persian lines.

All 4 sides of the Taj are identical in perfect symmetry. Below the main dome are the false tombs of Jahan & Mahal surrounded by a beautiful white marble screen that were inlaid with 43 different types of semi-precious stones by European specialists. The real tombs are locked in a basement room below.