Our Finale: The Taj Mahal

The last segment of our adventure took us to Agra.  The city is most well-known for its "Wonder of the World", the Taj Mahal.  We took a horse-drawn carriage to and from the gate (our horse's name was Babalu).  When we were at the gate of the Taj Mahal, our hearts were pounding with excitement.  When we all first saw this magnificant, white structure, we were immediately amazed at its size and beauty.  The Taj Mahal was built as a tomb for the king's beloved third wife.  On her deathbed, the queen requested two things: first, that the king build a spectacular monument in honor of her and second, that he not remarry.  The king honored both of these requests.  The four minarets on the corners of the Taj Mahal lean slightly outwards, so that if they should fall, they would not damage the main structure.  The Taj Mahal is made of white marble with intricate hand-carved inlays of semi-precious stones.  The Taj Mahal is also impressive due to its symmetry.  There are also two symmetrical structures on each side of the Taj Mahal, one was built as a mosque and the other was built as a place for the commoners to stay.  Another interesting thing we learned was that there were stripes on four faces of the columns outside of the Taj Mahal, but when you stepped back, it gave the optical illusion that there were eight faces on the columns.