Galliart - Blog 9

The Taj Mahal was completed in 1653, and its architect was Ustad Ahman Lahauri. Influence by earlier Persian architecture and Muslim ideas of aesthetics, the Taj Mahal is geometric with organic patterns on the geometry. On the walls are floral patterns and calligraphy, and the main dome is meant to mimic a lotus. The primary purposes of the Taj Mahal were to entomb its commissioner and his favorite wife, and to reflect power and wealth. The building is functional, as there is a mosque and four minarets. Surrounded by gardens, it was meant to draw people and bedazzle them with beauty. Thus it serves today as a primary tourist destination and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.