The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

The Taj Mahal Palace (now The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, formerly Taj Mahal Palace & Tower ) is a luxury hotel in the Indian city of Mumbai. It is located in the Colaba district near the Gateway of India and is part of the company Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces. It is one of the Leading Hotels of the World.

History

The hotel was opened on behalf of the Parsi industrialist Jamshedji Tata, one of the most influential entrepreneurs of his time, on 16 December 1903. The plans were designed by the British architect WA Chambers based on the initial drafts of Indian architects Sitaram Vaidya and DN Mirza Khanderao. The plot is located just off the eastern coast line, called Apollo Bunder. Over the many years the hotel became a legend and has hosted celebrities such as Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull, Prince Charles, The Beatles, Bill Clinton and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

When the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, a target of the terrorists was. Through one of them of causing the fire, the hotel was damaged. In the hotel several dozen hostages were being held by armed men who identified themselves as a group of " Deccan Mujahideen ". According to eyewitnesses, the hostages were chosen specifically for their American or British nationality. On 15 August 2010, the hotel was reopened.

The The Taj Mahal Hotel The Taj Mahal Palace has got a sister hotel in New Delhi, which is also operated by the hotel chain Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

Architecture

The hotel consists of two separate buildings, the old building (English Palace, palace ') and a northern skyscraper recent (Tower, tower' ).

The layout of the Palace is C-shaped. About its center stands a large dome. Also each smaller dome pavilions were erected at the striking building corners. The ground floor is characterized by a generous arcade that runs along the east and south sides. Here are beyond the offices of Hotel Management, shops and an art gallery. The first floor houses the dining room, drawing and reading rooms as well as some luxurious suites. The hotel rooms are located on the upper floors.

Stylistically, the Palace is a blend of different forms of medieval Gujarat, Victorian Gothic influences and Arab and Islamic forms ( for example, the arches of the ground floor arcades ). With its large dome, the hotel is one of the most influential buildings in relation to the skyline of Mumbai.