Interesting Facts About the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah Agra

Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah Agra

Located on the east bank of the Yamuna river, 4 km (2 miles) from the Taj Mahal in Agra, the exquisite Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah should not be missed. Continue reading for interesting facts about the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah

Interesting Facts About the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah

1.Itmad-ud-Daulah means ‘Pillar of the Goverment’

2.The Tomb of Itmad-ud-daulah is also known as ‘Baby Taj Mahal’

3.It doesn’t have the same awesome beauty as the Taj but it’s arguably more delicate in appearance thanks to its particularly finely carved jali (marble lattice screens)

4.This was the first Mughal structure built completely from marble, the first to make extensive use of pietra dura and the first tomb to be built on the banks of the Yamuna

5.The small yet elegant marble tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah is lyrically described as a “jewel box in marble”

6.The style of the tomb is similar to the tomb built for Jehangir near Lahore in Pakistan

7.The star features of the tomb are the marble screens, pietra dura artwork and the tomb chamber itself

Itmad-ud-Daulah History

The tomb was built for Mirza Ghiyas Beg, a Persian who had obtained service in Akbar’s court, and his wife. On Jahangir’s succession in 1605 he became Wazir (chief minister). Jahangir fell in love with his daughter, Mehrunissa, who at the time was married to a Persian. When her husband died in 1607, she entered Jahangir’s court as a lady-in-waiting. Four years later Jahangir married her. Thereafter she was known first as Nur Mahal (Light of the Palace), later being promoted to Nur Jahan (Light of the World). Shah Jahan married her niece, Mumtaz Mahal and built the Taj Mahal in her honour.

The marble tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah was built by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628 in the char bagh that he himself had laid out. Stylistically, this is the most innovative 17th century Mughal building and marks the transition from the robust, red sandstone architecture of Akbar to the sensuous refinement of Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal.

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