The Minarets Were Built So They Wouldn’t Fall on the Tomb Taj Mahal facts indicate that because tall structures had an annoying habit of toppling over, the four functioning minarets of the Taj Mahal were constructed further away from the tomb. This way, if they fell, they wouldn’t harm the tomb in any way. The minarets were built to be usable. They are a traditional part of a mosque and allow the muezzin to call those who practice Islam to prayer. The Taj Mahal Is Inscribed with Portions of the Quran Beautiful calligraphy is inlaid into the white marble of the Taj Mahal.
Amanat Khan Shirazi created the calligraphy by inlaying black marble into white marble panels. Many surahs, or verses, from the Quran are used in the calligraphy, as well as original work by Shirazi.
Taj Mahal facts show that in addition to the gorgeous calligraphy that drew Shah Jahan’s admiration, abstract forms also fill the walls. The Taj Mahal Draws 3 Million Visitors a Year.
Taj Mahal VisitorsA World Heritage Site and an amazing example of Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal is a popular tourist destination. It draws more than three million visitors a year to Agra in India. No Pollutants Are Allowed Around the Taj Mahal In order to keep the gorgeous white marble structure gleaming and pristine, no pollutants are allowed near the Taj Mahal. Visitors must park in a parking lot, then either walk or take an electric bus to the historic site. The Black Taj Mahal May Be a Myth Shah Jahan loved symmetry and it is believed that he wanted to build a black Taj Mahal opposite the white marble Taj Mahal. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier spoke about this idea and popularized the myth in the 17th century.
There is currently no evidence to support this myth, however. At one time, black stones were found across the river from the Taj Mahal and were thought to support the idea of a black Taj Mahal. Later, it was shown the stones were actually discolored white stones. It is more probable that the idea of the black Taj Mahal comes from the reflection of the Taj Mahal in the original reflecting pool.
Surprisingly, the structure’s reflection appeared black. Shah Jahan Did Not Kill Those Who Worked on the Taj Mahal One prevalent myth that surrounds the Taj Mahal is that Shah Jahan executed those that worked on the structure so that they would never be able to build a more beautiful building, or reveal its secrets. Taj Mahal facts indicate it is more likely that the craftsmen and architects involved in building the Taj Mahal signed what we would now term as confidentiality agreements and promised to not build something similar. The Taj Mahal Is Turning Yellow The white marble of the Taj Mahal no longer gleams brightly as it used to. The beautiful stone has been damaged by pollution and is gradually turning yellow. To combat this unwanted change, the Indian government has instituted harsher emission standards for the area in order to cut back on the damaging pollution. India Has Tried to Hide the Taj Mahal During War The Indian government has erected scaffolding on three separate occasions to hide the Taj Mahal during times of war.