The Mentor
"A Wise and Faithful Guide and Friend"
No. 33
Vol. I
BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS of the WORLD
| TAJ MAHAL THE ALHAMBRA AMIENS CATHEDRAL |  | SALISBURY CATHEDRAL CHÂTEAU de CHAMBORD NEW YORK CITY HALL |
By CLARENCE WARD
Professor of Architecture, Rutgers College
Beauty in architecture is as difficult to define as beauty in nature.No single factor renders a building beautiful. Size and proportion,style and decoration, age and setting, all enter into account.And moreover there is the power a building possesses to appeal to theideals of the beholder, to his mind as well as to his sight and touch. Evenwhen judged from this broad viewpoint, the number of beautiful buildingsin the world is legion. It would be impossible to point to anyone as thefinest, or even to select a dozen without leaving a dozen more that wereequally beautiful. Every age, and every nation, has left to us some crowningachievements of the builder's art. The following are therefore merelyselections from this storehouse, illustrating to some degree the wealth ofarchitectural treasures that is our heritage.
Few if any buildings in the world have been the subject of such praiseas that bestowed upon the Taj Mahal ("Gem of Buildings"). Travelers,[2]painters, authors, and poets have all sought to express in word orcolor the indefinable charm of this gem of Indian art. Built at Agra, inIndia, by the great mogul of Delhi, Shah Jahan, as a tomb for his favoritewife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj is a veritable translation into stone ofhuman remembrance and affection. It was begun in 1632, and was completedin twenty-two years. The material of which it is built ispure white marble, and inlaid in its walls are jaspers, agates, and otherstones in marvelous designs. But it is perhaps the dome that givesthe greatest beauty to this tomb. Of typical Eastern shape, it rises amass of white against the deep blue of the Indian sky, or shines likesilver in the radiance of the Indian moon.
THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL TOMB
It cannot be denied that the Taj Mahal (tahzh mah-hahl´) owes muchof its beauty to its setting. Not merely has it the contrast of the brilliantsky above, but also the deep green of the gardens at its feet, and morethan this the four tall, graceful minarets standing like sentinels at thecorners of the marble terrace on which the tomb is placed. The interioris scarcely less impressive than this outside view. Its subdued lightserves only to show more clearly the beauty of the garlands of red andblue and green inlaid along its walls as never-withering memorials of thequeen who sleeps beneath the lofty dome.
THE TAJ MAHAL
The approach through the splendid gardens seen in the foreground is bordered by dark cypress trees, which contrastadmirably with the color of the marble domes beyond.
It is perhaps beside her tomb that the traveler sees a vision of theproud and mighty Jahan, cruel