The Loire Valley and especially Blois
Both the Taj Mahal (above) and the Red Fort in Agra (below) are made of white marble inlaid with precious stones, such as rubies (red), malachite and jade (green), tourmaline (red and orange), lapis lazuli (blue), onyx (black) and, mother-of-pearl which have stood up to the elements for more than 400 years. The same techniques …
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The Taj Mahal did not disappoint. Tears came to my eyes as I stood and looked at this mythical palace of love commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to her 14th child. Le Taj Mahal ne nous …
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This amazing structure is Buland Darwaza or the “Gate of Magnificence” built in 1601 by the great Mughal emperor, Akbar, at Fatehpur Sikri, to commemorate his victory over Gujarat. The Buland Darwaza is the highest gateway in the world (53.63 m high) and an astounding example of Mughal architecture. Ce bâtiment étonnant s’appelle Buland Darwaza ou …
This sundial at UNESCO World Heritage site, Jantar Mantar observatory in Jaipur, is the largest and most accurate (to within 2 seconds) in the world.. The observatory, built in the first half of the 18th century, has 19 main astronomical instruments or groups of instruments. All are fascinating. Ce cadran solaire à l’observatoire Jantar Montar à Jaipur, site …
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After the chaos of Delhi, the Jal Mahal (“Water Palace”) in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, was totally unexpected. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber. The palace is now abandoned. …
Jama Masjid (great mosque), the biggest in India, was built in 1650 in the middle of Old Delhi and can welcome 25,000 people in front of the main building. The three domes made of white marble striated with black offer a striking contrast with the pink sandstone of the rest of the mosque.. La Jama Masjid (grande mosqué), …