Throughout the semester I found that I was really interested in the sections where talked about mausoleums or tombs.  The Hagia Sophia assignment was very interesting, and after watching the video about the Taj Mahal I thought this would be the most interesting topic for me to choose.  We have not gone over the Egyptian Pyramids but they are some of the most popular tombs in the world.

In all of these cultures the final resting places were for people to be buried with their loved ones.  These sites were often sacred to the culture, and often times are still sacred today.  However, not every person in these cultures had the pleasure of being buried in such elaborate tombs.  The people who were buried in these massive sites were noble and/or wealthy.  These elaborate exteriors bring people from all over the world to look at them in awe.

These mausoleums were often built for specific people.  The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan after his beloved wife died so she was have a gorgeous resting place. Sultan Selim II whose mausoleum is at the Hagia Sophia called in one of the best architects to build his resting place, knowing that it would be finished three years after his death.

Every person who commissioned these grand places wanted to pay tribute to themselves or others.  These architectures show the passion people have in their beliefs, and the dedication they have to completing such intense tasks.