taj mahal. great buildings

Or where to spot the most stunning wildlife? Browse our places to see before you die and see how many you can tick off your bucket list…

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Swim, snorkel and dive Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Explore the living masterpiece that is the Great Barrier Reef by swimming, sailing, snorkelling and diving. The World Heritage-listed attraction stretches more than 2,000km along the Queensland coast and can be seen from outer space. Hop between the idyllic, palm-fringed islands and discover the bright coral and marine life. Visit Heron and Wilson islands during the annual turtle nesting season (November to March) where you can witness hatchlings scurrying to the sea.

 

Gaze at the Northern Lights from a glass igloo in Finnish Lapland

The Northern Lights are one of nature’s phenomenon’s that you need to see to believe. With easy access to the natural light display, snowy wilderness and reindeers, Finnish Lapland is a magical place to spot the Aurora Borealis. Instead of watching them outside in freezing temperatures, why not spot the lights from the comfort of your own heated glass igloo? It means you can spend the night gazing at the sky from your bed and wake up to the spectacular snow-covered scenery.

 

Marvel at mysterious Stonehenge

An unforgettable day out and one of Britain’s most wonderful attractions, Stonehenge is a highlight of the South West and probably the most famous prehistoric monument in the world. It comes with a mysterious history and was built around 5,000 years ago. Was it a temple for sun worship? A healing centre? A burial site? Or maybe a huge calendar? The World Heritage Site never fails to impress and is surrounded by prehistoric landscape, perfect for a walk in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside.

 

Take an outdoor bath in Budapest

Soak up the atmosphere of Budapest in the winter when the locals and tourists hit the city of baths’ outdoor thermal pools to keep warm, socialise and enjoy the healing waters. The Szechenyi has an enormous neo-Baroque courtyard with a bath and one of its best sights is the dedicated chess players with their floating cork boards! The Gellert is known as the finest of all the bath houses with its main indoor pool – perhaps the best example of Hungary’s neo-classical architecture. Rudas and Kiraly are other historic baths in the city.

 

Feel the freedom of an American road trip on Route 66

It’s inspired songwriters, novelists and filmmakers, and Route 66, the Mother Road of America makes for an epic journey across the States, stretching for 2,400 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. Route 66 crosses eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Spend 16 days exploring the route and stopping at attractions, such as St Louis’s jazz clubs, Oklahoma City, the desert scenery of Santa Fe, the vast Grand Canyon and the Las Vegas Strip.

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Highlands

The Highlands of Scotland are filled with some of the most incredible scenery in the world. Here, you’ll feel as if you’ve walked into a painting, with towering heather-covered mountains, picturesque lochs, cascading waterfalls and magnificent, ancient castles.

 

Take a dip in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

Fed by naturally-heated and mineral-rich seawater, Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is the country’s most unique attraction, located 40 minutes from Reykjavik. The extraordinary pool is where you can take off your thermals and bathe in the water, reaping the benefits of the geothermal water. Be sure to smother yourself in the white silica mud and take your natural spa experience to the next level by sweating in the sauna with a view of the lagoon and standing underneath the waterfall for an energising massage. Bliss!

 

The Taj Mahal

The 17th century jewel in India’s crown has been attracting tourists and royalty alike for centuries. It was commissioned by the emperor as a tomb for his favourite wife, and that sense of lavish romance spills into the 21st century. Pose for a photo on that bench – made famous by Diana and recreated by William and Kate – and then explore Agra by bike. Sundown on the Yamuna will be an unforgettable end to the day.

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The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1631 to be built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. Shah Jahan’s grief after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, was such that he commissioned for Taj the building to honour his dead wife. The mausoleum was completed in 1643, and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished about five years later. Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another ten years.

 

The tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of the Taj Mahal. It is a large, white marble structure standing on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building. All sides of the building are exactly the same as the next one. The most spectacular feature is the marble dome that surmounts the tomb. The dome is nearly 115 ft high. Because of its shape, the dome is often called an onion dome.

In line with the Islamic prohibition against the use of idol forms, passages from the Qur’an that comprise, some of the decorative elements.

 

The Taj Mahal is built on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra. The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China. The turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from Afganistan, while the sapphire came from Sri Lanka. In all, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.

 

According to the legend, Shah Jahan decreed that anyone could keep the bricks taken from the scaffold, and thus it was dismantled by peasants overnight.

No evidence exists for claims that describe, often in horrific detail, the deaths, dismemberments and mutilations which Shah Jahan supposedly inflicted on various architects and craftsmen associated with the tomb. Some stories claim that those involved in construction signed contracts committing themselves to have no part in any similar design.

According to the legend it is believed that Shah Jahan had planned to construct another Taj Mahal in black marble on the other side of the river but the war with his sons interrupted his plans.

Facts and numbers

  • The Taj Mahal enlisted 20 thousand artisans.
  • The Taj Mahal has between 7-8 million visitors per year.
  • In 2007, The Taj Mahal was the winner of the New 7th Wonder of The World.
  • The Taj Mahal took 21 years to complete.
  • Many precious stones were ripped off from its walls by the British during the Indian rebellion of 1857.
  • It is estimated to have taken more than 22,000 people to build this impressive building.
  • The full height of the Taj Mahal is 561 feet.
  • The Taj Mahal is surrounded by significant gardens and a number of other buildings including a mosque and guest houses which make up the 17 hectares of land within the complex walls.
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