Scanning the Taj Mahal
21 May 2015
The Taj Mahal, completed in 1643, was the only Mughal mausoleum that was built by a ruler for his own purposes during his own lifetime. This may serve as one of the reasons that the sheer scale, delicacy of material usage, and overall harmonic aesthetics are more prevalent in this structure than any other Mughal mausoleum. Built to honor his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan built not only one, but two major mausoleums during his lifetime, one for his wife and another for his father Jahangir. It was under the rule of Shah Jahan, that it is said that Mughal architecture entered its classical phase.
In 2015 we got to 3D scan the Taj Mahal! This is a picture of me on the roof!
As part of our work with DHARMA Digital Historic Architectural Research and Material Analysis group we have been documenting various heritage sites to generate 3D scans for future preservation of the monuments. It was an amazing experience and ouside the scope of work for most researchers/software developers.
We have also visited the Roman Forum many times, the following image is made up of many scans we did from different viewpoints.
Thanks!
