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Taj Mahal Complex is a rectangular area of 896.1 x 300.84 meters with the maintained complex area of 561.2 X 300.84 meters. Taj Mahal complex consists of many architectural buildings and other wonderful structures built in complete symmetry. The area of the Taj Mahal Complex is wonderfully constructed with various buildings or constructions of white Makrana marble and red sand stone.
Taj Mahal Complex contains two main areas separated by the main gate of the Taj. The outer area consists of the Taj Ganj market, three entrance/exit gates of the Taj, the forecourt or the Jilaukhana and the saheli burj or tombs of other two wives of Shah Jahan. Separated by the main gate or Darwaza-i-Rauza, the internal area consists of the khawasspuras (currently, the Taj Gallery), charbagh or Taj garden, the pavilions, the Naubat Khanas or the Jal Mahal buildings and the main mausoleum. Apart from this, the Taj Mahal Complex has the minarets, the riverfront terrace, riverfront towers and different layers of the floor on which the main mausoleum is constructed.
Let us make a virtual tour to know the various constructions built at the Taj Mahal Complex. Click here to know more about the architecture of the Taj Mahal Complex.
Taj Mahal Complex was constructed on the measurement of a unit called ‘gaz’ which is approximately 32 inches. Taj Mahal Complex mainly consists of two areas:
- Inner area of the Taj Mahal Complex: The inner area of the Taj Mahal Complex is the area including the main gate of the Taj Mahal to the riverfront terrace. This area is approximately 395 meters in length and 300 meters in breadth. Taj Mahal Complex in this area consists of the following constructions:
- Main Mausoleum: The white marbled structure of the Taj Mahal which has the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal is the main mausoleum. It is 56.9 X 56.9 meters in area. This part of the Taj Mahal Complex consists of the main dome for the tombs and the four minarets. The dome is 25.6 meters in height and 17.6 meters in width while each of the minarets is 5.65 meters in diameter and 43.02 meters in height. There are three chambers for the tombs. The lower chamber is the original place of burial; the middle chamber is the one above it which is opened during the death anniversary of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The third and the uppermost chamber of the tombs is the area open for the tourists. One needs to climb 22 steps on the staircases at the entrance of the main mausoleum to see the tombs.
Taj Mosque: Towards the west of the main mausoleum is the mosque made of red sand stone. This mosque faces Mecca and is 56.6 X 23.38 meters in area. Worship service on Fridays is carried out in this mosque due to which Taj Mahal remains closed on Fridays.
- Taj Guest House: Taj Guest House or Jammat Khana is another building constructed on the eastern side of the main mausoleum. This building stands making a perfect symmetry with the Taj Mosque. It has the same dimensions and looks similar to the Taj Mosque.
- Taj Garden: Taj Garden also known as Charbagh is the Persian style of gardening where the total area of the garden is divided into four areas. In Taj Mahal, the four areas of the garden are divided into four more areas making it a garden of total eight partitions. The Charbagh is 296.31 X 296.31 meters in dimensions.
Central raised platform: A white marbled raised platform of water tank is constructed at the centre of the Charbagh. This water tank is constructed on a raised marbled platform and currently is the main spot of photography. Four benches were added to this platform at the time of Lord Curzon in 1907 A.D to 1908 A.D.
- Naubat Khanas: On the western and eastern side of the central marbled raised platform are two red sand stone buildings known as Jal Mahal or Naubat Khanas. These are symmetrical buildings on either side of the central marbled water tank. The building on the western side is currently the place of Taj Museum.
- Taj Main Gate: The first glimpse of the Taj Mahal can be seen from the main gate or Darwaza-I-Rauza. The dimensions of the main gate are 41.2 X 34 meters.
Outer area of the Taj Mahal Complex: The outer area of the Taj Mahal Complex can be described as the area between the entrance/exit gates and the main gate of the Taj. This area consists of the following constructions:
- Three Gates of Taj Mahal: There are three gates for the entrance and the exit of the Taj Mahal namely the Western gate, the Eastern gate and the Southern gate. There is one more gate which is used for exit from the Charbagh to the forecourt. Read more on the gates of the Taj Mahal
- Forecourt: Forecourt is also known as Jilaukhana meaning “in front of the house” is the area covered between the main gate and the three entrance/exit gates. This area also has the constructions of the two tombs of the wives of Shah Jahan. Two residential enclosures can be seen towards the northeast and the northwest side of the main gate. These are known as “khawasspuras”.
Taj Ganj: Taj Ganj or Taj Gunj is not the part of the maintained area of the Taj Mahal Complex, however, it is the market which is spread outwardly towards the Southern Gate of the Taj Mahal. The market is spread to the dimension of 334.9 X 300.84 and is the main area where the shops of marble inlay work are found.
Mehtab Bagh: Though the Mehtab Bagh or the Moonlit Garden is not the part of the Taj Mahal Complex, it is a wonderful place of tourist attraction and is considered as the part of the Taj Mahal. The reason for this is the view of the Taj Mahal can be seen from the centre of Mehtab Bagh garden.
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