TOPIC CARD-A BUILDING YOU VISITED IN YOUR COUNTRY

A BUILDING YOU VISITED IN YOUR COUNTRY

Speak about an interesting building you visited in your country

Where is it located?

Why is it famous?

Explain why do you think it is most interesting?

Malayalees/Keralites(people of Kerala state in India), / largely, take a fancy to buildings especially huge ones. It doesn’t matter to them if those huge buildings/bungalows remain vacant for years. Well, being a typical Keralite, naturally, building is one of my pet subjects. Consequently, while travelling around I have an eye for buildings. And the most interesting building I visited in my country is, indeed, Taj Mahal. I along with my father have undertaken many package -tour programmes and as a part of it  I have visited many huge and impressive buildings. But none of them can be compared to Taj Mahal-the immense white marble master piece!

This mausoleum is located exterior to the city of Agra, 200 kms away from Delhi on the west bank of the river Yamuna, to be precise. It is the part of the state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra, in fact, was once, I mean, during the medieval age, one the most powerful cities.  

There are many reasons behind its fame. The prime reason, to my mind, is the  legendary love saga    attached to it.   I mean this historic building immortalizes the Emperor Shah Jahan’s love for his wife-Mumthas Mahal.   I am fascinated by its symbolisms.  Moreover, it represents the splendor of an era which we call the Mugal period.  

Personally, I am intrigued and fascinated by its architectural beauty and elegance. Architecturally speaking, it is a stunning Master piece. For example, the unique magnificent art piece, in fact, is a perfect blend of Persian, Asian, and Islamic architecture. I was mostly impressed by the   four tall towers called minarets located at the corners of the structure with a majestic dome placed perfectly in the middle. Those minarets, as a whole, exemplify the excellent symmetry of both halves of the building. If observed minutely around the archways, you can see the lettering of the Quran verses, regardless of their height. The cost of Taj Mahal is also equally exciting-a whopping great 32milliion Rupees in 16^th century!

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13 BUILDING RELATED VOCABULARY

·         Interesting/exciting/exotic/unusual

·         Gigantic/imposing

·         Multi-purpose /gorgeous/immense

·         It houses/accommodates two five star hotels

·         Mausoleum

·         Architecturally beautiful

·          Skyscraper(n)