The Golden Rectangle and the Timeless Beauty of the Taj Mahal

Successive Golden Rectangles dividing a Golden Rectangle into squares (Taj Mahal).

The Taj Mahal is not a perfect golden rectangle, but its overall proportions are close to the golden ratio. The golden ratio is an irrational number with an approximate value of 1.618. It is often found in nature and is believed to be aesthetically pleasing to the human eye.

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, that was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum's overall structure is rectangular and is surrounded by gardens and reflecting pools.

The ratio of the length to the width of the Taj Mahal's main building is approximately 1.6, which is close to the golden ratio. The building's height and the height of the central dome are also proportional to the overall size of the structure and follow the principles of the golden ratio. The use of symmetry and intricate decorative patterns on the building's exterior further enhances its beauty and proportionality.

A golden rectangle is a rectangle whose side lengths are in the golden ratio, one-to-phi, that is, approximately 1:1.618. A distinctive feature of this shape is that when a square section is removed, the remainder is another golden rectangle, that is, with the same proportions as the first. Square removal can be repeated infinitely, which leads to an approximation of the golden or Fibonacci spiral.

Fibonacci numbers (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34...) are a sequence of numbers named after Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci. The first number of the sequence is 0, the second number is 1, and each subsequent number is equal to the sum of the previous two numbers of the sequence itself.

The Taj Mahal, is among the New Seven Wonders of the World, a recent poll with 100 million votes.

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Last updated: Feb 13, 2023