Stylistic and Cultural Comparison of St. Peter's Basilica and The Taj Mahal

One of the eight wonders of the modern world, the Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world. There are some who feel that the beauty of the building and its architecture can never be surpassed. The building is made entirely of white marble, built by a Muslim Shah in memory of his wife and queen. A fusion of the Muslim influence and Indian culture, sometimes called an elegy in marble, the Taj Mahal (which means crown palace) was the burial place of Queen Mumtaz Mahal and later her husband Shah Jahan. The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses what is called the interlocking arabesque concept, meaning that there is perfect integration of each element within the main structure and an element of self-replicating geometry and symmetry inherent to the architectural elements. The building incorporates features which can be attributed to ritual, which permeates the Islamic religion. The large rectangular front courtyard is familiar to other Muslim buildings in that it is meant to encompass the entire Muslim community.

St. Peter's Basilica, the entrance to the Vatican City, was re-designed by Michelangelo to open and unify the space into the representation of a cross, the symbol of Christianity. The basilica was a combination of modern gothic construction methods as well as those of ancient Rome. This showed a return to the central plan, in which Michelangelo followed previous architect Bernini in a return to the central plan, and was able to think on a scale appropriate to the huge buildings. The large dome was built after Michelangelo's death, but the major changes in design came in a lengthening of the nave and an improvement of the relationship between the dome and the facade. Michelangelo strayed from the original plans set forth by Bramante in that opened the space, not to be confined by traditional architecture of the renaissance. Michelangelo's willingness to stray from the dictums of the sitting pope, Julius, mirrored the intellectualization of the Renaissance and the pattern of free thinking that were previously seen in architecture.