Curiosities
1) Built out of love
The decision to build the Taj Mahal was made in 1631 by the emperor of the Mogul Empire, Shah Jahan. Destroyed by the disappearance of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died at the birth of her 14th child, the emperor decided to erect the grandest mausoleum in the world in her memory.
2) More colors
During the day, the walls of the Taj Mahal seem to have different colors. In the morning light, the mausoleum appears pink, in the evening it turns white, and at night, in the moonlight the walls look golden.
3) Britons
In front of the mausoleum there was an impressive flower garden. However, it was replaced with a lawn during the British Empire domination, as the British wanted to give the green space the appearance of a traditional English garden. In 1857, when a rebellion threatened British control of India, some soldiers stationed nearby removed many of the precious stones embedded in the walls of the Taj Mahal.
4) Harmony and balance
The Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical - except for one detail. Two beautifully decorated cenotaphs stand side by side in the central room of the mausoleum in honor of Shah Jahan and his wife, but they are not identical. According to local traditions, a man’s grave had to be larger than a woman’s.
5) Black and white
Over time, a legend circulated, claiming that Shah Jahan wanted to build an identical mausoleum for himself, one made of black marble. However, he was dethroned before construction could begin.