Taj Mahal

The **Taj Mahal** is a Mughal Historical Site, mosque and tomb in India. It was built in the 17th century by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The building is in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It is widely thought as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It is one of India's biggest tourist attractions.

The Taj Mahal is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with the Agra Fort, 2.5 kilometers away. It was listed as one of the 7 Wonders of the World in 2007. It is on the south bank of the Yamuna river in Agra.

The building was originally white. Because of pollution, it is turning yellow. Sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere reacts with water molecules and becomes sulphuric acid, which slowly destroys the outer layer of the building. The building also appears to be pink in the morning, yellow-ish in the evening, and gold at night.

The Taj Mahal is one of the most notable examples of Islamic architecture ever built. When it was built, most of India was ruled over by the Mughal Empire except the South. Shah Jahan was a Mughal emperor who came into power around 1628. According to historians, Shah Jahan loved building and architecture, which made his nickname “The Builder Of Marvels”. The Taj Mahal was built for Shah Jahan’s third wife, Mumtaz Mahal- meaning the “Jewel of the palace”. She became ill giving birth to their 14th child. As she was about to die, she asked Shah Jahan to make her the most beautiful tomb that was ever built. She died on 17 June 1631. In 1657, Shah Jahan fell ill. He died in captivity in 1666. His tomb was placed beside Mumtaz Mahal's.

## Construction

The Taj Mahal is an example of Muslim Architecture – a mixture of building design influenced from Middle Eastern, Indian, Turkish, and Ottoman architecture.

The Taj Mahal was built with materials from all over the world. Over 20,000 people were used to move building materials. It is generally thought that Ustad Ahmad Lahauri (from Lahore) was in charge of the construction. The building was finished in 1648.

## Visitors

The Taj Mahal had 2 million visitors in 2001. In 2014-2017 there were more than 7-8 million visitors.

## Damage

Many people think the Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful buildings ever built. However, it is slowly being damaged by acid rain in the nearby Yamuna Basin. A nearby oil refinery has been blamed for some of the damage. In 1996, the Indian Supreme Court said that local industry was harming the Taj Mahal. The court set up an area of 10,400 square metres around the Taj Mahal called the Taj Trapezium Zone. Industries within this zone must use Natural gas instead of coal.

Because of pollution, the Taj Mahal is getting yellower slowly.

## Infobox (historic site)

- **name**: Taj Mahal
- **image**: Taj Mahal, Agra, India edit3.jpg
- **caption**: Taj Mahal
- **designation1**: WHS
- **designation1 date**: List of World Heritage Sites by year of inscription#19835 (7th session), 1983 <small>(7th World Heritage Committee, session)</small>
- **designation1 number**: [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/252 252]
- **designation1 criteria**: (i)
- **designation1 type**: Cultural
- **designation1 free1name**: State Party
- **designation1 free1value**: India
- **designation1 free2name**: Region
- **designation1 free2value**: List of World Heritage Sites in Asia, Asia-Pacific
- **location**: Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
- **height**: 73 metres (240 ft)
- **built**: 1632–53
- **architect**: Ustad Ahmad Lahori
- **architecture**: Mughal architecture
- **locmapin**: India
- **map caption**: Location of Agra within India
- **visitation num**: 7–8 million
- **visitation year**: 2014-2017