50 Fun Facts About Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal stands on the bank of which river?

It sits on the right bank at Agra, in Uttar Pradesh.

Shah Jahan, who commissioned the Taj Mahal, was which Mughal emperor in sequence?

He reigned from 1628 until his deposition in 1658.

In which year did Mumtaz Mahal die and the Taj Mahal get commissioned?

Her title means 'the Exalted One of the Palace'.

Mumtaz Mahal died while giving birth to which child?

The daughter was named Gauhara Begum; Mumtaz died at Burhanpur in the Deccan.

What does the name Taj Mahal mean?

The words come from Persian and Arabic; an alternative theory derives 'Taj' from the second syllable of Mumtaz.

In which year was the mausoleum itself completed?

Work on the rest of the complex went on for another five years.

Roughly how many workers and artisans were employed on the project?

They worked under a board of architects led by the emperor's court architect.

Who led the board of architects that designed the Taj Mahal?

An Ottoman craftsman designed the dome and Amanat Khan was chief calligrapher.

Where did the Taj Mahal's white marble come from?

The red sandstone for the other buildings was quarried at Fatehpur Sikri.

How was building material hauled to the site?

The scaffolding was made of brick rather than wood, mirroring the tomb.

How many minarets flank the tomb?

Each is over 40 metres tall and leans slightly outward so it would fall away from the tomb if it collapsed.

Why were the minarets built with a slight outward lean?

Each minaret is divided into three near-equal parts by balconies.

How high is the marble dome that crowns the mausoleum?

It sits on a 12-metre drum and is topped by a 9.6-metre gilded finial.

What was the main finial originally made of before being replaced in the early 19th century?

The replacement is gilded bronze, topped by a moon whose horns point heavenward.

What is the inlay technique of cutting semi-precious stones into marble called?

The spandrels carry vines, flowers and fruits in stylised geometric patterns.

Which calligrapher, honoured with the title Amanat Khan, created the Taj Mahal's Qur'anic inscriptions?

An inscription at the base of the inner dome reads 'Written by the insignificant being, Amanat Khan Shirazi'.

What clever trick was used with the calligraphy panels higher up the walls?

Most of it is thuluth script in jasper or black marble inlaid into white.

Where are the real graves of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan?

The upper chamber holds only decorative false sarcophagi.

What is the one asymmetrical element in the otherwise symmetrical mausoleum?

Mumtaz's cenotaph sits at the exact centre; his was added beside it and is topped by a small pen box marking a male tomb.

Which direction do the bodies face, in accordance with Islamic practice?

The cenotaphs are aligned north-south with heads to the north.

What is the name for the four-part Mughal garden layout used at the Taj Mahal?

A Delhi tomb inspired both the garden and the hasht-behesht plan of the site.

Which Samarkand tomb of the Mughals' ancestor Timur was an inspiration for the Taj Mahal?

The Mughals traced their descent from Timur.

What is the 'Moonlight Garden' across the river from the mausoleum called?

Archaeologists think the river was meant to be seen as one of the rivers of Paradise.

What was Shah Jahan's fate in 1658?

From his confinement he could see the Taj Mahal across the river; he died in 1666.

Which French traveller of 1665 first spread the story of a planned Black Taj Mahal?

Most archaeologists now regard the black-marble twin tomb as a myth.

Which British viceroy ordered a restoration completed in 1908 and installed the large interior lamp?

He also replaced the gardens with European-style lawns that remain today.

Why was scaffolding erected around the Taj Mahal in 1942?

The trick was repeated during the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.

What has turned the Taj Mahal's marble yellow-brown since the late 20th century?

Acid rain and the Mathura Oil Refinery are blamed.

What restoration treatment has the Indian government applied to whiten the marble in the 2020s?

Broken marble is also being replaced.

In which year was the Taj Mahal made a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

UNESCO called it 'the jewel of Islamic art in India'.

In 2007 the Taj Mahal was named one of what?

It draws millions of visitors a year.

Roughly how many visitors does the Taj Mahal attract each year?

It is protected as a Monument of National Importance.

How large is the whole Taj Mahal complex?

It includes a mosque and a guest house within a crenellated wall.

What was the estimated cost of the complex at the time, in rupees?

That is roughly US$827 million in 2015 money.

From whom did Shah Jahan acquire the land for the tomb, in exchange for a palace in central Agra?

A mansion belonging to the Raja stood on the site south of the city.

What did Abdul Hamid Lahori call the Taj Mahal in his 1636 Padshahnama?

The name Taj Mahal itself is of Urdu origin.

What shape is the main inner chamber of the mausoleum?

Its sides are 7.3 metres long, with entry possible from each face.

What are the perforated marble screens around the cenotaphs called?

They replaced an earlier precious-metal screen in 1643 and are carved from eight marble panels.

What are the small domed kiosks at the corners of the main dome called?

They echo the onion shape of the main dome and let light into the interior.

What is the name for the tall vaulted archways framing each side of the mausoleum?

Each is 33 metres high with two stacked arched balconies on either side.

How long did Shah Jahan reportedly give up music and lavish dress after Mumtaz's death?

He avoided royal affairs entirely for a week.

Which Mughal monument in Delhi inspired the Taj Mahal's garden and plan?

Both use the same layout of a garden divided into quarters.

What was the first ceremony held at the mausoleum, on 6 February 1643?

The marble screen around the cenotaphs was installed the same year.

Which Ottoman craftsman is credited with designing the Taj Mahal's dome?

Qazim Khan cast the finial; the workforce was multinational.

What was Mumtaz Mahal's birth name?

She was born in Agra to a family of Persian nobility and married the future emperor in 1612.

Which of Mumtaz Mahal's sons defeated the chosen heir Dara Shikoh to become the sixth Mughal emperor?

He was the couple's third son.

What jewelled seat did Shah Jahan have made to celebrate his rule?

He also built the Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi.

What was Shah Jahan's name before he took his regnal title?

He crowned himself in the Agra Fort in 1628 after defeating his brother Shahryar.

Which government agency has looked after the Taj Mahal since Indian independence in 1947?

The Archaeological Survey of India, founded in 1861, protects it as a Monument of National Importance.

What colours does the white marble take on through the day, according to visitors?

It is milky white by day and sometimes bluish under certain light.