Taj Mahal is the Crystallization of Iranian Architecture and a Symbol of God's Throne on Earth

Abstract

The Taj Mahal is basically related to the idea of Islamic architecture; although the influence of Islamic architecture on the Taj Mahal is clearly visible, traces of the influence of Iranian, Hindu, British, and Akbari architecture are evident in its structure. Taj Mahal is often known as a monument of love, but you can see it as a combination of architectural traditions and a monument of Iranian and Indian multiculturalism.According to the beginning of the arrival of Muslims in the Indus Valley, in the 8th century AD, except for the ruins of a small mosque, there is no other trace left from this period. But in the twelfth century AD, the arrival of Muslims started again with the creation of valuable works. After various periods and in the era known as the Mongols (Indian Gorkan), the architecture of the subcontinent achieved great prosperity with a significant influence of Iranian art. In historical sources, the names of Iranian personalities who played a key role in the construction of the Taj Mahal, such as Essa Shirazi (designer), Amanat Khan Shirazi (calligrapher) and Mohammad Hanif Kandahari, can be seen. Iranian art is one of the most essential identifiers of Islamic architecture, and the Taj Mahal is one of the most obvious examples of the presence of Iranian artists. The result of the research shows that due to the relations that Iran and India have had throughout history, especially during the Safavid and Gurkanian periods, the architectural culture and the construction of gardens and garden-mazars in India have been influenced by Iranian culture, literature, art and architecture. And for this reason, the Taj Mahal can be considered as the manifestation of the art of Islamic and Iranian architectural design in the Indian subcontinent, and what is called Mongolian architecture is essentially "Indian-Iranian Islamic architecture".

The Creation of “Sacred Place” through the “Sense of Place” of the Daci’en Wooden Buddhist Temple, Xi’an, China

“…From a global perspective, every representative local religious building has its own unique architectural narrative. The Taj Mahal incorporates Islamic architectural ideas, but its structure also shows traces of Iranian, Indian, British, and Akbari architecture [41]. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand, is considered the most sacred temple in that country.…”