Taj Mahal Removed from Original Paris Site to Rebuilt in India: Fact Check

Story:

The Taj Mahal being removed, brick by brick, from its original Paris site to be rebuilt in India, 1724.

Fact Check:

The picture shown above is often shared online as Taj Mahal being removed, brick by brick, from its original Paris site to be rebuilt in India, back in 1724. No, the claim is a hoax.

Not Taj Mahal

The story and the image in question have been shared by Twitter account ‘History In Pictures‘ since at least 2016. It also appeared on other social sharing sites like reddit and Pinterest, making it popular online. However, the original, black and white photograph actually shows under construction vintage shot of the famous landmark Bell Tower of the Sacre Coeur Basilica on the Montmartre Hill in Paris back in the 1880’s. The black and white vintage photograph of Sacre-Coeur Bell Tower was digitally edited to add colors. Taj Mahal, on the other hand, was in fact built in India as a monument of Love. The 7th wonder of the world was completed in 1648.

Other False Under Construction Pictures of Taj Mahal

Internet space has also seen couple of other ‘under construction’ pictures of Taj Mahal that are not what they appear. During the Second World War in 1942, when the British in India thought Taj Mahal was vulnerable to Bombing by the German Luftwaffe bombers and also the Japanese, they placed Bamboo Scaffolding over the historical monument. It was done to make Taj Mahal look like a stockpile of bamboo and misguide bomber planes flying miles above. Similar kind of protection was placed over Taj when India was fighting a war against Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.

Coming back to the original story, the claim that the picture shows Taj Mahal being removed, brick by brick, from its original Paris site to be rebuilt in India in 1724 is therefore not a fact.

Hoax or Fact:

Hoax.

References:

You’ll Be Amazed To Know How The Taj Mahal Was Protected During World War-II