Taj Mahal Architecture

GREAT ARCHITECT

Taj Mahal layout

 

Taj Mahal architecture owes a sureshot mention of the people who actually created it. 

• Ismail Afandi, who designed the hemispheres and built the domes was from Turkey. 
• Qazim Khan came from Lahore to cast the gold finial that would top the dome. 
• Chiranji Lal was called from Delhi to pattern the mosaic. 
• From Shiraz in Persia came master calligrapher, Amanat Khan. 
• Stone cutter Amir Ali was from Baluchistan.
• Ustad Isa of Tukey is however credited to have been the main architect. It is believed that his design embodied much of what the Emperor wanted to express.

ARCHITECTURE

A beautifully laid out walled garden encloses the magnificent monument "Taj Mahal". The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely

• Darwaza (The main gateway)
• Bageecha (The gardens)
• Masjid (The mosque)
• Naqqar Khana (The rest house)
• Rauza (The main mausoleum)

Taj Mahal are made based on arabesque concept

 Taj Mahal architecture is a kind of fusion of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. The main gateway, with its domed central chamber, is situated at the end of the long watercourse. On one side of the Taj Mahal is the Mosque and on the other, the Naqqar Khana, built mainly to maintain its symmetry. The main building, that of the Taj itself, stands on a raised, square platform with its four abridged corners, forming an unequal octagon. The architecture of Taj Mahal of Agra has made use of the interlocking arabesque concept.

  

The dome

The Structure

Essentially square in shape, with peaked arches cut into its sides, the Taj Mahal surmounts a square marble platform marked at each corner by a high minaret. Topped with a huge central dome, it rises for over 55m, its height accentuated by a crowning brass spire, itself almost 17m high. On approach, the tomb looms ever larger and grander, but not until you are close do you appreciate both its awesome magnitude and the extraordinarily fine detail of relief carving, highlighted by floral patterns of precious stones. Carved vases of flowers including roses, tulips and narcissi, rise subtly out of the marble base, a pattern repeated more colourfully and inlaid with precious stones around the four great arched recesses (pishtaqs) on each side

As per this concept, each element maintains its own identity and yet perfectly merges with the main structure. The principles of self-replicating geometry, along with symmetry of architectural elements are also seen in the design and layout of Taj Mahal. The four 162.5 feet minarets have been consciously shortened a bit to emphasize the faintly spherical dome. The central dome, 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet in height, stand bordered with four subsidiary domed chambers.

Garden

'River'

Carved Roses