Taj Mahal is the symbol of eternal love and has been standing tall over the centuries since Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the loving memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The elegant white marble mausoleum is located on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra.
Taj Mahal has been regarded as the most photographed monument across the world and one of the seven wonders of the world remains bestowed with the pouring of such appreciation. Such has been the beauty and charisma of the Taj Mahal that it has been copied, inspired, cloned, and replicated into many more such monuments. The replica of the Taj Mahal is many but we’ve chosen 7 that have tried their best to look like this grand monument.
Original Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white marble tomb in Agra, British India, erected by Shah Jahan for his favorite queen, Mumtaz-i-Mahal. One of the most magnificent structures in the world, the Taj Mahal was built in the 17th century. It was designed by Ustad Isa. It was completed at a cost of approximately $15,000,000.
It is approached through the handsome Taj Ganj Gate, a stately courtyard, and a formal garden. A marble watercourse reflects the tomb’s beauty. Most magnificent at first glance is the central dome, which crowns the square-bayed edifice. It is then that one sees the four graceful minarets rising from the corners of the square marble platform that forms the base of the Taj.
The tomb itself is built of pure white marble. Its surface is sculptured with exquisite designs in low relief and at many points, the marble is studded with jewels. A mosque sits on one side of the monument and a hall on the other to complete the external balance. Inside is an octagonal room containing Mumtaz-i-Mahal and Shah Jahan. This is a chamber illuminated by soft light gleams admitted through double marble trellis screens.
Original Tajmahal in Agra, India
1: Mini Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh
80 years old retired postmaster Faizul Hasan Quadri repeated the act of building the Taj Mahal in loving memory of his wife. He built the ‘Mini Taj’, in his village in Bulandshahr of Uttar Pradesh. Making this mausoleum became the aim of Faizul’s life after his loving wife Tajammuli Begum died of throat cancer in 2011. He needs more finances to cover the mausoleum with marble and cover the area with lush greenery just like the real Taj Mahal. We really hope, he gets successful with his vision and mission.
Replicas of Taj Mahal – Mini Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh
2: Taj Mahal of Bangladesh
The replica of the Taj Mahal in Bangladesh is located 10 miles east of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka in Sonargaon. It is a scaled copy of the original Taj Mahal Unlike the original work on the building took only five years. A rich Bangladeshi filmmaker, Ahsanullah Moni announced his “Copycat version of Taj Mahal” project at a cost of about USD$ 56 Million in December 2008. It was built 20 miles northeast of Capital Dhaka.
Taj Mahal of Bangladesh
3: Taj Mahal of United Kingdom – Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK
The building of the Royal Pavilion started in 1787 as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wale. Also known as Brighton Pavilion, the British monument is famous for closely resembling the iconic Taj. It’s so because the construction and architecture of Brighton Pavilion are inspired by the 19th-century Indo-Saracenic style prevalent in India.
Taj Mahal of United Kingdom – Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK
4: Taj Arabia, The Taj Mahal of Dubai
Taj Arabia built same on the lines as the Taj Mahal will be a 20-storey glass hotel with a maximum accommodating 350 rooms. Taj Arabia will be open to the public by 2017. It is said that after all the clearances Taaj Arabia should be able to welcome people. The vision is to have the attractive architect as the centerpiece of the Mughal Gardens which will cover an area of 210,000 square feet. It is expected to have 2,000 underground car parks, multi-cuisine restaurants, and nightclubs.
Taj Arabia, The Taj Mahal of Dubai
5: Window to the World: Taj Mahal of China
How can China not remake anything famous in the world? So, they built their very own Taj Mahal and placed it in a theme park in Shenzhen, China that has been named “Window to the World”. The specialty of this park is that it consists of replicas of all the historic monuments around the world. Do not be surprised to find the Taj Mahal besides the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Window to the World: Taj Mahal of China
6: Taj Mahal of Deccan or Bibi ka Maqbara
If you thought it was only Shah Jahan who dearly loved his wife from the Mughal clan and built an iconic monument in her memory then you would be amazed to know that his next generations continued with the glorious custom. His grandson and son Aurangzeb Prince Azam Shah built “Bibi Ka Maqbara” in memory of his mother Dilras Banu Begum, which is located in Aurangzeb, Maharashtra. The mausoleum closely resembles the original Taj Mahal in many ways. see the Bibi Ka Maqbara
