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

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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

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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

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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.

Submitted by Saad786 on Mon, 11/01/2021 - 15:55

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I have seen the Saudi-Bahrain bridge, Lake saif al malook in Pakistan . I have also visited many malls.

Submitted by Dinara on Sat, 09/01/2021 - 18:35

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I have seen a lot of famous places in Europe. First of all, it is landmarks in Saint-Petersburg, Russia: St. Isaac Cathedral, Church of the Spilled Blood, and others. The second one is the Kremlin and Red Square in Moskow. Also, I have visited the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre museum in Paris, Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Manneken Pis in Brussels. But I dream to travel to American and Asian country in future when it will be possible.

Submitted by Elham Barakat on Tue, 05/01/2021 - 16:19

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I have visited the pyramids and Alexandria Library. The pyramids were built by the Egyptian Pharaohs many thousands of years ago. It's made up of many large stones. They took many several years to finish them. They built them to bury the great kings of Egypt. It also holds many treasures. Alexandria Library is a lovely, interesting and amazing place, it includes all books and in different fields. It is also located near the Sea. Its view and quietness, give you the best feeling. It's marvellous.

Submitted by Thinthinmyoe on Fri, 25/12/2020 - 10:01

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I have seen little famous places.These are the scenes of Bagan,the greatest pyramids in Egyptand the view of Sentosa from Sagapore.

Submitted by Ehsan on Tue, 01/12/2020 - 09:01

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I've seen some really awesome places. Some of these are the mausoleum of Imam Reza, Babak castle, Falakolaflak castle, and others.

Submitted by Danbraga on Mon, 16/11/2020 - 22:59

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One of the famous places I've visited is Iguaçu Falls, it's located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, it's one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world, and near there I could see the giant Itaipu power plant, the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, belonging to Brazil and Paraguay, it's awesome !!!.