Taj mahal

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.Soon after the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb and put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort . Upon Shah Jahan's death, Aurangzeb buried him in the mausoluem next to his wife. By the late 19th century, parts of the buildings had fallen badly into disrepair. During the time of the Indian rebellion of 1857, the Taj Mahal was defaced by British soldiers and government officials, who chiseled out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls. At the end of the 19th century, British viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a massive restoration project, which was completed in 1908. Though the Taj Mahal is considered to be the zenith of Mughal architecture, the identity of its architect remains a mystery, in part perhaps because Shah Jahan seems to have played such an active role in its design. In his obsessive drive for perfection, he may have served as his own artistic director, making the personal overseeing of his artists part of his daily routine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

visiting taj mahal : Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourists must either walk from parking lots or catch an electric bus. Conducted sightseeing tours to all these places leave daily at 10.00 am from the Agra Cantt. Railway Station. Tickets are available at the station or can be booked in advance at the Northern Railway Reservation Office. The Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Mondays. http://www.taj-mahal-india-travel.com/getting-there-to-taj-mahal.html

http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/UDAYAKUMA/Taj%20Mahal,%20Agra,%20India%5B1%5D.jpg

http://www.funonthenet.in/images/stories/forwards/new%207%20wonders/taj-mahal.jpg