Today.Az » World news » Turkish president visits Taj Mahal in India - PHOTOS
10 February 2010 [19:16] - Today.Az
Turkey's President Abdullah Gul visited Taj Mahal in Agra, India together with his spouse Hayrunnisa Gul.
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum in Agra built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
It is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer.
Taj Mahal is also among the new seven wonders of the world, made public by the Swiss-based New7Wonders foundation in 2007.
Click photos to enlarge:
/World Bulletin/
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