The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India, was built by the emperor Shah Jahan of the Mughal empire in the mid 17th century. It is considered one of the 7 wonders of the new world.
1: At one end of the complex is the massive gate house that is beautiful in its own right. When you are walking up to the gate house you cannot see the Taj Mahal yet, so you have no idea what to expect.
2: The top of the gatehouse has 11 spires, 11 is a significant number within the Islamic faith.
3: After you pass through the gate, the Taj Mahal emerges and it’s truly a wondrous sight to behold. Photos do not do it justice, and it’s difficult to get a sense of the actual scale from them.
4: The gate itself offers a different perspective.
5: You really don’t get a sense of the attention to detail until you get up close. Everything from the walls to the floors is a work of art.
6: The minarets are 40 meters tall and intentionally separated from the main tomb, so that their collapse would not damage it.
7: The tombs on display are actually false tombs. The real tombs are well protected in a lower chamber.
8-10: The artwork ranges from bas-relief flowers carved in white marble, inlaid semi-precious stones, and Arabic scripture inlaid in black marble.