India: The Most Beautiful Building in the World

After Delhi, I took a bus to Agra, home of the great Taj Mahal. The 'Taj' has been called the most beautiful building in the world because it is perfectly symmetrical with its four tall minarets. All four sides are identical, built from translucent marble and adorned with semi-precious stones.

The Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan to honour his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. The Emperor was later overthrown by his son, and imprisoned across the river behind the Taj Mahal. It's said that he had a view of the Taj from his prison cell in the Agra Fort. When he later died in prison, his body was buried in the Taj with his wife's.





Visiting the Taj Mahal was an incredible experience. It's a picture that I've seen hundreds of times, but being there in person was very different. It didn't even seem like the same building, it was so weird to see it in person. After touring the grounds during the day, Mr. Elder and I set out on a small boat on the river to watch the sun set behind the magnificent building. I couldn't believe that we were the only people out there; it was stunning! Here are a few more pictures from the trip:

The traffic arriving in Agra.

Our hotel had a view of the Taj Mahal from its rooftop.
We arrived at nighttime, but could just make out its silhouette. 

Watching the sun set on the Yamuna River.