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 (79 votes)

Submitted by cittàutopica on Mon, 11/08/2025 - 17:15

Permalink

What famous places have you seen?

There are in the world many places and monuments as much famous as  the Taj Mahal, that I have not seen.

The most famous place I have seen is the Eiffel Tower. I think it’s amazing to see a place, building, or city that you have watched in movies many times. Seeing it up close, taking a photo as a memory, and experiencing it with your own eyes feels very special.

Sometimes, things on television can seem bigger or different than they really are. This way, you can find out what they are actually like.

Profile picture for user jimmyle

Submitted by jimmyle on Thu, 31/07/2025 - 08:07

Permalink

I have visisted Toa Thanh Tay Ninh many years ago, also known as Den Thanh, is a significant religious structure for The Cao Dai faith, located in Tay Ninh, Viet Nam. It is a popular destination due to its unique and modern architectural style

Submitted by Winnie0900 on Mon, 28/07/2025 - 20:51

Permalink

Honestly, I have never been to a pretty famous place like the Taj Mahal. Two years ago, I visited Tulum and its archaeological zone, but I can't remember which civilization used to live there. During my visit, I saw some pyramids, and even though it is not a place as famous as Teotihuacan, I enjoyed the visit and the amazing sea view too!

Profile picture for user Sara Moustafa

Submitted by Sara Moustafa on Sat, 05/07/2025 - 17:44

Permalink

I am from Egypt, I went to the pyramids. they are from the old seven wonders of the world. They are amazing buildimgs. they were built about seven thousand years ago.Pharaonic people was creative and impressive. Their engineers were fantastic to build them in amazing details, Pyramids have alot of tombs, some of them have discovered,but others are not yet. 

Submitted by BryanMendezR. on Wed, 25/06/2025 - 15:57

Permalink
I have been in Medellin, Colombia and I visited comuna 13, that's a beautiful place, when you go upstairs, you found the stores, amazing people, gastronomy and graphic on the walls.
Profile picture for user Ghofran21

Submitted by Ghofran21 on Sat, 08/02/2025 - 16:03

Permalink

I am living in Egypt and I went to the pyramids,it is wonderful and also I went to the national Egyptian museum

Profile picture for user Cherry Soe

Submitted by Cherry Soe on Sun, 22/12/2024 - 09:55

Permalink

I have seen the most beautiful island which call "Nyaung Oo Phee", the most famous one in Myanmar. The water is very clean and can-do snorkeling also.

As for me the best place in Myanmar is a beach calls "Maung Ma Kan". Actually it doesn't obviously different from other beaches but I love that place without any special reason.

Submitted by Jisdam_ on Mon, 25/11/2024 - 16:47

Permalink

I ever been to one of the historical heritage in Indonesia, its called Candi Borobudur. You guys have to visit it because it's mesmerizing