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Encyclopedia entry

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal (pronounced /ˌtɑːdʒ mə'hɑːl/) is a famous mausoleum next to the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. A mausoleum is a building where people bury the dead. The name Taj Mahal means 'the crown of palaces'.

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The most famous part of the Taj Mahal is the large white dome in the centre. It is 35 metres high and is surrounded by four smaller domes. The rooms inside the building are decorated with beautiful archways and precious stones in the walls. The buildings are surrounded by gardens with pathways, pools, fountains and green gardens.

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The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and finished in 1653. It was built with materials from all over India and Asia, but the main material is white marble. Historians believe that the materials were transported by over 1,000 elephants for the construction.

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The emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a burial place for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. According to legend, he wanted to build another Taj Mahal in black on the other side of the river, but this never happened. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, many parts of the Taj Mahal were damaged by British soldiers, who took some of the precious stones from its walls. Over the years, the Taj Mahal has suffered from environmental damage, and there have been many government attempts to conserve its beauty.

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The Taj Mahal is one of India's most famous landmarks. There are millions of visitors to the mausoleum every year. The Taj Mahal is almost always included in lists of famous buildings to visit and is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Submitted by Safe_Mode on Sun, 11/02/2024 - 08:57

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I've been in Sri Lanka last month and I've seen the Nine Archs bridge which is located between Demodara railway station and Ella. Realy love this place

Submitted by zambarajas on Fri, 19/01/2024 - 19:06

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I'm from México, and I have very chances for see famous places. The place that impressd me is Tulum's archaelogical area because ruins are in front of the beach.

Submitted by Toan3002 on Wed, 03/01/2024 - 08:18

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Hue Citadel is one of the most famous sites in Vietnam that I have seen when I have a chance to visit Hue.

Submitted by styczi on Mon, 06/11/2023 - 17:31

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I haven't had too many opportunities to travel yet, but from the places I have been, I can count, for example, the old town in Prague and Vienna - two of the popular European cities

Submitted by betelf on Sun, 22/10/2023 - 17:28

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I recently visited Pamukkale, which is one of the famous natural landscapes in Turkey.

Submitted by TataRyt on Sun, 15/10/2023 - 23:11

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I have never seen places that are considered part of the Seven Wonders of the World but still there are places that are special to me in my city. Once I would like to visit the Camino de Santiago in Spain and walk it from beginning to end on my own.

Submitted by roldooo21 on Sat, 14/10/2023 - 23:39

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I never have been in the India, and I never to meet the Taj Mahal. Because I would like to meet the India in general. I like the history about the India, and is a country that I want to visit.

Submitted by monamar on Sat, 16/09/2023 - 22:03

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Actually I have been visited Cairo last winter it has spectacular places like Pyramids and Khan Alkhalili in addition to more historical places, it was not the first time I visited Cairo.

Submitted by Tymoteusz99 on Sat, 09/09/2023 - 20:52

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The famous place when ever i see is Luxor temple in Egypt

Submitted by Iagolopes on Tue, 05/09/2023 - 23:24

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I already had visited the bridge of my neighborhood, a train pass through it.