Encyclopedia entry

Encyclopedia entry

Read an encyclopedia entry on the Taj Mahal to practise and improve your reading skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.

Preparation

Reading text

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'.

1. 

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.

2.

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.

3.

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.

4.

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.

5.

Discussion

Download
Worksheet139.54 KB

Language level

Average: 4.1 (61 votes)

Submitted by TIa vinaka on Thu, 08/04/2021 - 02:35

Permalink
I have seen many famous places in overseas and my country. like Temples, palaces, nature places and some famous place for tourist. It was all beautiful and impressive. Oneday, I hope I could see South America, Morocco, Egypt, India...and more. all countries are really interested.

Submitted by Frank Cuello on Fri, 02/04/2021 - 16:06

Permalink
I previously have visited local museums such as the Pedro Nel Gómez at Medellín. However, I haven't been in other historical places on a long time.

Submitted by In on Sun, 28/03/2021 - 06:35

Permalink
I have visited Machu Pichu.

Submitted by Rano on Tue, 16/03/2021 - 19:25

Permalink
In my country many of famous places river nile, forest and nutional park out side of my country neversee fiumes places.

Submitted by Verna Budi Amanda on Wed, 17/02/2021 - 03:40

Permalink
the most historical place i have ever visited in my live is Borobudur Temple, located in Indonesia. i have visited it twice, first when i was still in jhs and the second with my mom's colleagues. it was a great place!

Submitted by German on Wed, 17/02/2021 - 01:29

Permalink
The famous place I have seen is Monserrate hill which is in Bogotá, Colombia. This place is touristic and ancient place in Bogotá. The most funny to Moserrate is walk up to the top and enjoy the scene of Bogotá.

Submitted by Abrarhussain on Tue, 16/02/2021 - 00:07

Permalink
I have visited two famous historical places, first one I visited Minar-e-Pakistan, where the famous resolution was passed on 23 of March 1940 in Lahore, about building the country of Pakistan, under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Doctor sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Secondly I visited the famous and historical city of London, the capital of the United Kingdom.

Submitted by Fatii on Thu, 04/02/2021 - 19:37

Permalink
I didn't have a chance yet, to travel and see the most famous places in the world, but I visited 'al-Quarawiyyin Mosque' in Fes in Morocco, it built by Fatima Al-Fihriya in 859, the legend told that Fatima Al-Fihriya decided fasting until they finished the construction,then she prayed in the mosque. The Mosque contains 17 doors and decorated with small pieces of mosaic and a great chandelier, and they wrote verses of Quran in the walls, the Mosque also contains a library. In the golden age of the Islamic world, Al-'Quarawiyyin Mosque' became an university, it was the first one in the world, the students came from around the world seeking for knowledge. And it was the first university that gave a licence medical in the world. So if you come to Morocco don't forget to visit it...

Submitted by Asni on Mon, 25/01/2021 - 23:53

Permalink
I have seen the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, the Giralda in Seville, Spain, the Hassan ll Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco and the Mosque–Cathedral of Cordoba, Spain. They are all fascinating places, each has its own and particular features and beauty. I'm not really keen on history but I really appreciate art and I value the effort a community makes to conserve their heritage sites and historical landmarks.