The Taj Mahal, located on the southern bank of Yamuna River in Agra, India, is said to be created by Shah Jahan in 1632. It is known to be a complex mausoleum that combines Persian, Islamic, and Indian influences, and is one of the “world’s most celebrated structures and stunning symbols of India’s rich history”. From Sanskrit, Tejo Mahalay (Taj Mahal) means “The Great Abode of Tej”. In the Hindu religion, the name Shiva translates to Tejaji and Mahalay means mansion. Therefore, the Taj should have been known to be a Temple Palace of Lord Shiva, Hindu God. Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s most beautiful and devoted wife who was “content to have lots of children with her husband died giving birth to their fourteenth child”. Although many historians believe that Shah Jahan had created the Taj to cherish his wife, others believe that it originated an ancient Shiva temple. According to N.P. Oak, Indian journalist, Shah Jahan had commandeered it from Maharaja of Jaipur and therefore did not create it himself. The Taj Mahal was meant to be a remembrance of Mumtaz, but the structure of the building proves otherwise; the Taj Mahal should be viewed as a temple, not a tomb. Temples are often built on river banks and sea benches. The Taj Mahal was built on the banks of the Yamuna River, which was the ideal location for a Shiva Temple. Also, the Taj is located in Agra city, which is an ancient center of Shiva worship. The officials at Agra preserve their tradition by worshipping at five Shiva
The first piece of architectural art to look at is the Taj Mahal. It was constructed as a mausoleum for the wife of Shah Jahan’s favorite wife after her death following complications of childbirth (Kapadia, n.d.). It became so famous that its design was even replicated as a casino in Atlantic City, although that became a mausoleum for the cash of its investors. When someone looks at the Taj Mahal for the first time, the thing that stands out the most is the use of white marble in its construction. Almost everything in the Taj Mahal was created with white marble. Next to be noticed would be both the domes and minarets that make up the monument. These are key tenets of the Mughal style that was used in building it. So too is the calligraphy that adorns almost all of the gateways and
the ancient Tikal temple but the temple I have presented is between the third to twentieth one
Burial sight of mumtaz mahal wife of Shah Jahan. A building made of white marble inlaid with precious stones and is still today of the most beautiful buildings in
Located at Angkor, Cambodia, it was built in the early 12th century for King Suryavarman II. The building was to be his temple and capital city, which was dedicated to the Hindu God, Vishnu. After some time the Hindu religious site turned
The Ottoman Empire is known for being one of the largest empires in history and was noted to have lasted the longest. The empire was greatly influenced by Islam and the Islamic practices. The Ottoman Empire replaced the Byzantine Empire and became the foremost power in the Eastern Mediterranean. The height of the empire came while under the leadership of Suleiman the Magnificent who reigned between the years of 1520 and 1566. Under this rule, the empire grew to cover Hungary and the Balkans, even to the gates of Vienna (BBC, 1). One of the most impressive attributes of the Ottoman Turkish rule was the acceptance of a variety of religious beliefs, much like the rule
Before visiting this site, I did some researches about the building of this temple. The design of the temple was conceived by Noppom Poochareon, an architect from Miami. He built this structure thinking in a refuge for the local Buddhist community. His vision for the sanctuary was a peaceful place, full of light, and quietness. He had no predetermined notion of what type or size of the Buddha might reside there. The project results in many difficulties and countless personal expenses for him just to obtain the proper permits. Money is always a problem in such a project. It was not easy to find financing. The National Bank of Homestead, Florida, was the first in giving a hand and allowing the start of the project ("History").
One common feature of all places of worship is “verticality” (Greenbaum, S., 2009). One can notice that the temple is very tall for a one-storey building, and the windows are narrow and tall as well. The purpose of this is to add to the aesthetic appeal and allows the building to be distinguished from the ones surrounding it (Greenbaum, S., 2009). All aspects of a building are taken into account when constructing it. All new development, renovations and so on are for the purpose to enhance the welcoming feeling, and not take away from the character or significance of the setting (Heritage Victoria 2010). On the outside, the building is made of stone symbolizing strength, power and religion (Gray, J., 2015). It also does not get damaged easily, so this makes it useful to places of worship because it prevents damage to the building (which is extensively used), adds an artistic feature and provides
This is an analysis potentially applied to the Alfred P. Murrah building; the Murrah Building was relatively a low-risk building. In honesty, the building was not notable, it was not a landmark, nor was it of critical importance. But, the use of standoff distance should still be incorporated. The installation of bollards is relatively low cost. The benefits of standoff distance are not only that of protecting but that of a more public setting. It removes buildings from the street-fronts, opening the sidewalk for more potential public spaces (The National Capital Urban Design and Security Plan). While this concept is not applicable to all locations, such as densely packed New York City, it is certainly applicable to the more sparsely spaced Oklahoma city. The empty standoff distance is not the only usable space that would be able to benefit the public, bollards have even been designed to incorporate built-in benches. This adds daily
Hypothesis- “The design of sacred sites facilitates rituals and reflects an approach to the divine.”
World famous and believed to be created in the first hundred years AD, the Al Khazneh in Petra of Jordan was once used as a mausoleum or a crypt (Macaulay-Lewis, n.d.). This building is now a tourist attraction and has been made famous by being featured in films from around the world.
Taj Mahal is one the greatest piece of architecture of India. This mosque-mausoleum was built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved resting wife Mumtaz, who died in childbirth. it is also more than a building because the Taj Mahal is the physical manifestation of a man’s everlasting love for his deceased wife, therefore, it be referred to as a symbol of eternal love. The Taj Mahal is a complex of buildings consisting of a beautiful garden, main gate, decoration, a mausoleum, mosque, and some other magnificent buildings. This architectures also carries a rich culture and vocabulary of the Islamic religion and teachings that in essence ties the Islamic believers and brings them closer to their God and values for each other. This paper
Question 1. Choose an architect or practice whose work is covered by or relevant to this course and discuss critically one or more of their design projects or drawings or urban proposals as precedent case-studies. Selectively situate this work in relation to their body of work, and against the practices and concerns of the period. Focus on the architectural qualities of a specific key aspect of the design of the projects. Selectively consider how they might relate to the historical situation, cultural values, theoretical concerns and design practices of the time. This may involve a selective analysis of compositional design practices, material fabrication production and the experiential reception of built outcomes of the projects.
Taj Mahal is one of the famous monument situated in Agra, India built by the great Mughal Emperor Shan Jahan in dedication to his wife. The building was built between 1631 and 1648 by a famous architect Ustad Ahmad Lahouri with the help of more than 20,000 workers to complete the work. Taj Mahal was built in the remembrance of Shan Jahan’s third wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument stands out for the internal love towards his wife. The building was built out with marvelous white marbles, also different types of marbles from many regions have. Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. People of India is really proud to have a monument which took place in the seven wonders of the world. The real intent was to create a monument that would be matchless in beauty and magnificence and continuing inheritance, a masterpiece for the eternities to come, to assure his place in history. In 2007 the Official Declaration Ceremony took place and acknowledged Taj Mahal as the new seven wonders of the world. Along with The Great Wall of China, Petra, Chichén Itzá, The Statue of Christ Redeemer, the Colosseum, Machu Picchu. The Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally masterpieces of the world's heritage for Islamic community to worship and one of the engaged tourist site. According to history Taj Mahal is famous in India because of its significance in its culture, architecture, design, myths and legend and tourism.
The Taj Mahal is a historical monument. It is situated on the bank of Yamuna river in Agra. It is a beautiful tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal is called the wonder of the world. It was made by Emperor Shahjahan in the loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is made of pure white marble of Makrana. Thousands of visitors come to see this wonderful building of Love in Agra every year. Thousands of artists, artisans and workers worked for twenty years to complete it. About 20 crores of rupees were spent on it. The beauty of the Taj smiles in the silvery night of the full moon. The walls of the Taj Mahal are decorated and carved with gem-stones of different colours. The couplets from Quran are written on the walls. The Taj is situated on a high raised platform. The graves of the King and the Queen are under the dome in a dark chamber. There are four minarets at the four comers of the platform. Everyone praises Taj for its beauty and art. The Taj can be viewed in the full moon nights to see an admirable view fully. The real graves are under the dummy graves. Taj Mahal, a dream carved in milky white marble is the matchless monument portraying the beauty of eternal love! A memorial from Shah Jahan to his beloved wife Mumtaz. Taj is indeed India's rich tribute to womanhood. Renowned for its artistic beauty, this extravagant building of timeless beauty is the outcome of a unique combination of passion and architectural zest. A common expression about the Taj is that it was "built by
The Taj Mahal, or “crown of palaces,” was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 to be built in Agra, India, on the bank of the Yamuna River (“Taj Mahal Facts” 1). Shah Jahan married Arjumand Banu Begum in 1612, and she was his third wife. However, Shah Jahan quickly took to her beautiful looks and charming personality and dubbed her Mumtaz Mahal, meaning “Chosen One of the Palace” (“The Taj Mahal” 1). Being his favorite wife and faithful companion, Mahal and Jahan traveled together frequently and came to have many children. During the birth of their fourteenth child, however, Mumtaz Mahal tragically died. To commemorate his love for her, Jahan ordered the greatest mausoleum of all time to be built in her honor: the Taj Mahal (“History of Taj Mahal” 1).