Built in: 1631 Built by: Fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan Time Period: 22 years (1631 - 1653)

Estimated Money Spent: 35 million rupees Number of artisans involved: 20000 approximately Location: Banks of River Yamuna in Agra, India Timings: 6am to 7pm (closed on Fridays and public holidays) Entry Fee: Free for children below 12 years of age Non-Indians: 5 US$ Indians: From 8am to 4pm - Rs. 15 From 6am to 8am and 4pm to 7pm - Rs. 10 Chief Architect: Ustad Isa Khan Fast Facts Year of Construction: 1631 Completed In: 1653 Time Taken: 22 years Built By: Shah Jahan Dedicated to: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum), the wife of Shah Jahan Location: Agra (Uttar Pradesh), India Building Type: Islamic tomb Architecture: Mughal (Combination of Persian, Islamic and Indian architecture style) Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri Cost of Construction: 32 crore rupees Number of workers: 20,000 Highlights: One of the Seven Wonders of the World; A UNESCO World Heritage Site Timings: Sunrise to Sunset (Friday closed) Fee: Rs 750 (Foreign Tourists) Rs 510 (Citizens of SAARC & BIMSTEC Countries) Rs 20 (Domestic Indian Tourists) No Entry Fee for children below 15 years of age (Domestic or Foreigner) Interesting Facts Of Taj Mahal

Before his accession to the throne, Shah Jahan was popularly known as Prince Khurram. Shah Jahan fell in love with the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum and married her, making her his third wife. Arjumand Bano Begum was christened by Shah Jahan as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the Chosen One Of The Palace or Jewel of the Palace. Shah Jahan lost Mumtaz Mahal, when she died giving birth to their 14h child. For the transportation of the construction materials, more than 1,000 elephants were employed. As many as 28 different varieties of semi-precious and precious stones were used to adorn the Taj with exquisite inlay work. Depending on what time of the day it is and whether or not theres moon at night, Taj Mahal appears to be of different color every time. Some even believe that this changing pattern of colors depict different moods of a woman. Passages from Quran have been used as decorative elements throughout the complex. On the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, 99 names of Allah can be found as calligraphic inscriptions. Taj Mahal was built in stages, with the plinth and the tomb taking up roughly 15 years. Building of minarets, mosque, jawab, and gateway took additional 5 years to be completed.

Different types of marbles used in construction of Taj Mahal were brought over from many different regions & countries: Rajasthan, Punjab, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Srilanka, & Arabia. Many precious stones and Lapis Lazuli (a semi-precious stone) were ripped off from its walls by the Britishers during the Indian rebellion of 1857. Taj Mahal attracts 2-4 million visitors annually with over 200,000 from overseas

1. One of the most interesting Taj Mahal facts is that the building will appear to be a different color depending on what time of day it is, and whether or not there is a moon at night. 2. The Taj Mahal is one of the most popular Agra tourist attractions, and the building was started in 1631 by Shah Jahan. 3. No Golden Triangle tours in India would be complete without a visit to the Taj Mahal. This building is recognized by people all around the world, even those who have never been to India. 4. Taj Mahal facts which are fascinating include the fact that all of the artisans and skilled workers had their hands removed when the building was finally finished. This was to ensure no other structure could compare to the magnificent Taj Mahal. 5. The construction of the Taj Mahal took twenty two years to complete, and required more than twenty two thousand workers who were brought in from all over. There were more than one thousand elephants that were used just to haul the materials needed. 6. Interesting Taj Mahal facts include the symmetry of the structure, which is perfect except for the interior tombs. Tradition dictated that the tomb for the male must be larger than the one for the female. 7. There are many Agra tourist places, and a popular one is the black marble base. This base was intended as a mirror image of the Taj Mahal, except for black marble being used in place of white, but the structure was never completed. 8. The Taj Mahal has been designated as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, and it draws people from everywhere on the globe. 9. One of the really fascinating Taj Mahal facts has to do with the exterior pillars. These were placed at an outward tilt, so if an earthquake occurred the fall of the pillars could be controlled. 10. One of the less common known Taj Mahal facts is that many jewels and semi precious gems were used to decorate the structure. Over the years and through a number of wars and pillages these jewels were removed, but you can still see where they were.