Think Taj Mahal and then try to imagine what came before it. What was the inspiration for that masterpiece?
Archaeologists and architects say a 16th century tomb tucked in the southeast corner of Delhi presaged the jewel of Muslim art in India.
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It’s all thanks to the Aga Khan, the leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims.
“This Mogul monument, which dates back to 1570, was the first garden tomb complex on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired major architectural innovations culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal,” the Aga Khan said at the unveiling.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture revitalizes monuments around the Muslim world: Cairo’s mosques, Zanzibar’s stone city, and Kabul’s historic Gardens of Babur. Restoring Humayun’s Tomb is the most ambitious heritage conservation project undertaken in India.
via Restoring The Mausoleum That Helped Inspire The Taj Mahal : Parallels : NPR.
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