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TOUR EIFFEL AND TAJ MAHAL
TOUR EIFFEL
The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of
1889. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the
tower. However it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition of 300 names -
including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola and Dumas the Younger – protested
its construction.
At 300 metres (320.75m including antenna), and 7000 tons, it was the
world’s tallest building until 1930. Other statistics include:
• 300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.
• Sway of at most 17 cm in high winds.
• Height varies up to 17 cm depending on temperature.
• 17,000 iron pieces.
• 40 tons of paint.
• 1752 steps to the top.
French radio (since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also
made use of its stature.
However, if its birth was difficult, it is now completely accepted and must
be listed as one of the symbols of Paris itself.
Notes
The tower has three platforms. A restaurant (extremely expensive;
reservations absolutely necessary), the Jules Verne is on the second platform.
The top platform has a bar, souvenir shop, and the (recently restored) office of
Gustave Eiffel.
From its platforms - especially the top - the view upon Paris is superb. It is
generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best.
TAJ MAHAL
Located at the city of Agra in the State of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal is
one of the most beautiful masterpieces of architecture in the world. Agra,
situated about 200 km south of New Delhi, was the Capital of the Mughals
(Moguls), the Muslim Emperors who ruled Northern India between the sixteenth
and nineteenth centuries.
It was Shah Jehan who ordered the building of the Taj, in honor of his wife,
Arjumand Banu who later became known as Mumtaz Mahal, the Distinguished
of the Palace. Mumtaz and Shah Jehan were married in 1717 and, over the next
18 years, had 17 children together. The Empress used to accompany her
husband in his military campaigns, and it was in 1730, in Burhanpur, that she
gave birth to her last child, for she died in childbirth. So great was the Emperor
love to his wife that he ordered the building of the most beautiful mausoleum on
Earth for her. The actual Tomb of his wife is situated inside the Taj.
The unique style combines elements of Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic
architecture. Most impressive are the black and white chessboard marble floor,
the four tall minarets (40 m high) at the corners of the structure, and the majestic
dome in the middle. The level of artwork becomes obvious when one realizes
that a 3 cm decorative element contains more than 50 inlaid gemstones.