Taj Mahal replicas and derivatives

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India (2004)

The Taj Mahal, an iconic structure in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, has inspired numerous replicas and derivatives.[1] It is a major tourist attraction and has been regarded as one of the seven wonders of the modern world.[2] Commissioned in 1632 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it was completed in 1653.[3] The monument has inspired many notable replicas including a project started by the emperor's grandson in 1678. While some are intended to be scale models or otherwise to be more or less faithful copies, and others are designed with mild or extreme interpretations of the Taj's architecture adapted to serve other purposes.

List of replicas

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Eurasia

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Name Location Country Image Notes Reference
Taj Mahal Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh The project was initiated by Bangladeshi filmmaker Ahsanullah Moni in 2008. [4]
Bajra Shahi Mosque Sonaimuri The mosque was built by Aman Ullah in 1741-42 during the reign of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. [5][6]
Bibi Ka Maqbara Aurangabad India It was built in 1668 by Prince Azam Khan, son of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in memory of his mother Dilras Banu Begum. [4][7]
Shahzadi Ka Maqbara Lucknow It was built as the tomb of Princess Zinat Asiya, daughter of the third Nawab of Awadh, Muhammad Ali Shah in the 19th century. [7]
Maqbara Yadgare Mohabbat Tajammuli Begum Bulandshahr It was built in 2015 by a retired post master Faizul Hasan Qadri in memory of his wife Tajamulli Begum, who died in 2011. [8][7]
Taj of Bangalore Bengaluru A 40 feet tall and 70 feet by 70 feet wide replica located on Bannerghatta Road, built by Malaysian architect, Sekar in September 2015. [7][9]
Taj Mahal, Kota Kota A replica of the Taj Mahal in the Seven Wonders park. [7]
Taj Mahal of China Shenzhen China A replica of the Taj Mahal in the Window of the World theme park. [4]
Al-Hakim Mosque Padang Indonesia It is a mosque located in West Sumatra. [10]
Ramlie Musofa Mosque Jakarta The mosque was built by Haji Ramlie Rasidin and completed in 2016. [11]
Siddiqa Fatima Zahra Mosque Kuwait City Kuwait Completed in 2011, it is a small mosque located in the Dahiya Abdullah Mubarak community near the Kuwait International Airport. [12]
Mini Taj Mahal Nusajaya Malaysia It is located in Legoland Malaysia Resort. [13]
Taj Arabia Dubai United Arab Emirates It is part of Falcon City of Wonders development. [4]
Mini Taj Mahal Built in 2016, it is located at Legoland Dubai. [14]
Royal Pavilion Brighton United Kingdom It is a formal royal residence which was built in three stages, beginning in 1787. [4]


The Americas

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Name Location Country Image Notes Reference
Thomas Foster Memorial Temple Uxbridge Canada It is a memorial to the Canadian Politician, Thomas Foster. [15]
Taj Mahal Houseboat Sausalito United States of America It was built by Bill Harlan and was sold off in 2016. [4][16]
Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City It was a casino located which was redeveloped into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. [17]
Tripoli Shrine Temple Milwaukee It was completed in 1928 and serves as the headquarters to Milwaukee’s Shriners International. [18]
Taj Mahal Replica Bogotá Colombia It is part of Jaime Duque Park. [19]

References

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  1. ^ "Travel information, Taj Mahal". Government of India. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  2. ^ "New Seven Wonders of the World announced". The Telegraph. 9 July 2007. Archived from the original on 21 January 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  3. ^ "World Heritage Sites – Agra – Taj Mahal". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "6 Taj Mahal replicas". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Heritage mosques in Bangladesh". Re-thinking the future. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  6. ^ Bari, MA (2012). "Bajra Shahi Mosque". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  7. ^ a b c d e "5 Taj Mahal replicas you must visit". India.com. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Indian builds a Taj Mahal for his wife". BBC Asia. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  9. ^ "Move over Agra, now Bengaluru has a Taj Mahal!". DNA. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Cerita Masjid Al Hakim, Destinasi Wisata Religi di Kota Padang yang Mirip Taj Mahal India". Padangkita.com (in Indonesian). 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Ada Alasan Masjid Ramlie Musofa Dibuat Mirip Taj Mahal" (in Indonesian). 24 December 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Kuwait's new mosque is more than a nod to the Taj Mahal". The National World. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  13. ^ "Taj Mahal in Legoland-Miniland India". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  14. ^ "Iconic Taj moves into legoland Dubai". Lego. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Taj inspired Thomas Foster Memorial". Uxbridge. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  16. ^ "The Taj Houseboat". Oursausalito. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Trump Taj". Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Tripoli Shrine Temple". Tripoli shrine. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Jaime Duque Park". Retrieved 1 February 2023.