The marble and stone inlay on its famous gates are being restored by a team of sculptors and artisans. The work will take months to complete.
Millions of tourists come to the northern Indian city of Agra every year to see the monument, built by emperor Shah Jahan to honor his wife. It took some 20,000 stone masons, gem cutters and laborers more than 20 years to build the Taj Mahal. - VOA News
The Tj Mahal is a monument located in Agra, India, at 27° 10'28.67"N, 78° 2'32.05"E, constructed between 1631 and 1654 by a workforce of 22,000. The Mughal Emperor Shh Jahn commissioned its construction as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, who is better known as Mumt. The Taj Mahal (sometimes called "the Tag") is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic. The Taj Mahal has achieved special note because of the romance of its inspiration. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. - Wikipedia
Posted January 10th, 2007 by Dinka