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)
Do you need to improve your English reading skills?
Join thousands of learners from around the world who are improving their English reading skills with our online courses.

Submitted by Mamta Gusain on Fri, 27/03/2020 - 11:12

Permalink
I have seen many famous places in India as i am from India. like Qutub Minar, The Red fort built by Shah Jahan, Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, Lotus Temple, The Golden Temple etc. These are also historical monument and were built by famous king of their time. if i get opportunity to visit out of india then definitely go for that as i love to visit different different places.
Profile picture for user Gelashvili Nika

Submitted by Gelashvili Nika on Wed, 25/03/2020 - 16:07

Permalink
Hi There, I am from Georgia SAQARTVELO . In my country there are many fameos buildings for exsample: Sameba trinity catedral, Narikala castel, Svetitskhoveli church, Gelati and other . there are under protect of UNESCO heritigate
Profile picture for user Smiley1

Submitted by Smiley1 on Mon, 16/03/2020 - 13:52

Permalink
I'd like to see The Taj Mahal someday and have a spicy curry!

Submitted by jazmin marquez on Mon, 16/03/2020 - 12:34

Permalink
I have seen few famous places, but I always remember when I visited Mexico, there I could see the pyramids of the sun and the moon of Teotihuacan. These are very surprising because it represents the history of the indigenous peoples of Central America.

Submitted by Selma1987 on Fri, 06/03/2020 - 18:59

Permalink
One of the famous places I visit was Khalifa Tower in Dubai, it was amazing and there is dancing fountain in front of Khalifa Tower with very nice music..

Submitted by shahhoseini on Wed, 19/02/2020 - 17:03

Permalink
I have visited many famous historical places in my country and also have seen The Great Wall in China and Mecca in Saudi Arabia in other countries.
Profile picture for user mtalebi

Submitted by mtalebi on Thu, 23/01/2020 - 06:13

Permalink
I live in Shiraz, Iran. I have seen Persepolis and tomb of Hafez.

Submitted by Fikymaulana on Sun, 29/12/2019 - 11:10

Permalink
I have seen borobudur tample in indonesia. It also recognised as one of the seven wonder of the world. It was a wonderful tample. And become the one of the biggest tamlle in the world.

Submitted by cittàutopica on Sat, 28/09/2019 - 16:06

Permalink
I have seen several famous places in Europe: apart from Italy (I'm Italian and, in Italy there are the most valuable landmarks in the world) I visited the famous Museums, as Louvre, Prado, Louisiana, Hermitage, Modern Tate Gallery, Kunsthistorisches Museum), etc.